Andromeda's Familiar
by SpinnerSuppi
Summary: Four teenagers embark upon an unprecedented journey together to make beyblade a recognised sport in the archipelago of Circum Pars. Using original characters. Status is complete because a milestone has been reached and uncertain if will continue further.
1. Chapter 1 - Spin Doctor Nemo

**Chapter 1 – Spin Doctor Nemo**

Nemo was sleeping peacefully under the shelter of a weeping willow at a river bank next to the park. She was dreaming, as usual. Dreaming of what kind of changes she would make to her life if she could.

She would live alone, she thought to herself…

Have new friends…

She would do whatever she wanted.

She would live in a nice place far away from the city of Gaia, her (current) place of residence.

Suddenly, someone shouted in her ear.

"GET UP, NEMO PERONE, YOU OWE ME A BATTLE!"

Nemo jumped up. It was her stupid younger sister, Maxie. They vaguely resembled each other in that they were both white Hispanics with dark hair, but Maxie's was cut short and made into a frivolous ponytail. Maxie glared at her, cross-eyed and flashing her Leonine beyblade at her.

"YOU PROMISED! No buts, missy! Wait… HEY!"

Nemo turned around and walked away. Stupid Maxie, waking her up like that. Time to find somewhere else to relax, she thought.

"COME BACK HERE!"

Maxie dogged her 13-year-old sister back to the park, pestering her all the way, but without response.

"Hey, Nemo!"

Megan waved to Nemo from across the park. She was sitting on the roundabout with Johnny and Alonso.

"Look, I think she's in a bad mood," Alonso muttered.

"Yeah, let's not say anything." Johnny suggested.

Megan stopped waving. Nemo went to sit on the swings. She was still mad that she had been disturbed from her nap, so she folded her arms stubbornly and didn't utter a word to anyone.

Maxie, meanwhile, spied on her from a nearby bush.

"Ah, now how can I challenge her?" She said to herself, before catching sight of a bug that was dangling in front of her. "AAAAAH!"

She tumbled out of the bushes. Everyone looked around at her. She rolled out into the park but bounced up like a balloon right in front of Nemo.

"NEMO!" She shouted. She walked up to her and forced her swing to stop whilst waving her bey in her sister's face with her other hand.

Nemo tried to ignore this gesture of invitation to battle, but everyone was watching them now. Some people were laughing.

"Looks like I have no choice." She said, calmly. Then she took out her purple bey, Dromeda, and walked over to the arena situated nearby.

They faced each other from opposite ends of the dish.

"Ready?"

They launched their beys together. Nemo's purple bey and Maxie's red one circled each other.

"ATTTTAAAACK!" Maxie shouted stupidly. Her Leonine bey broke the circle and came at Nemo's Dromeda, but it moved out the way.

Little Corina, Nemo's youngest sister, tried to gain an eye-line over the heads of all the onlookers to see what was happening, but in a matter of seconds her efforts proved redundant.

Dromeda charged at Leonine and it went flying directly out of the arena. It flew over the surrounding spectators and landed in a rubbish bin.

For the umpteenth time that week, Nemo smirked to herself.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Yeah! Go Nemo! Go Nemo!" The crowd chanted.

"I want another battle!" Maxie hollered, rushing to retrieve Leonine.

"Forget it, idiot. You'll never beat me." Nemo said and turned away. She looked happier, so Megan, Johnny and Alonso made to follow her.

"Come back here!" Maxie shouted. "You- you- how? HOW do you do it?"

The more than one-timer loser was on her knees. Nemo turned round and stared at her. Everyone stopped chanting, awaiting an answer.

"What is it about Dromeda that makes it IMPOSSIBLE to beat?"

"It's not that I'm really that good," Nemo said, simply. "It's just that you're very, very bad."

And she walked away with her friends, leaving Maxie in a fit of rage.

The only occupant of the park who hadn't been watching this fight was Jordan.

The blonde eleven-year-old sat on a bench, eyeing her beloved classmate, Tyler.

"Ahhh, he's so dreamy," She mumbled.

The bell tower of Gaia High School chimed seven o'clock and the crowd disintegrated.

The next day, the student representatives were being decided at the school. For each sports subject, they picked a select handful of boys and girls that would take part in interschool competitions with neighbouring cities.

Nemo was one of the hopefuls, and she was confident she'd be awarded a place on one of the teams for her considerable talent in many sports.

She woke up that morning feeling happy, so unlike her usual self.

"I'm so gonna' be chosen as a student rep," She said to herself as she got dressed. "I mean, come on… I'm good at so many sports, football, tennis, hockey…" She counted them off.

Maxie noticed her uncharacteristic mood at the breakfast table.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked, grumpily.

"The student reps are being chosen today, stupidhead."

"What?"

"I don't expect you to know." Nemo said, "You won't be picked for any of the teams."

"Nemo!" Their mother said.

Maxie looked at into her cornflakes miserably. She couldn't fight back. Her older sister was never wrong, and this case was no exception.

"The only thing you're half-decent at is Tennis," Nemo said, "and let's face it, I'm way better than you at that and just about… everything else? Yeah, everything else."

Maxie tried to summon a retort, but none occurred to her.

They left for school. Maxie was only eleven, so Nemo was delegated the chore of walking her there.

"So, let's see," Nemo said, "I'm better than you at Tennis – "

"Shut up."

"Hockey – "

"Shut up."

"Football –

"Shut up."

"I'm just telling you, dummy." Nemo said, patting her on the head.

Maxie lunged out like a lion, snapping at her hand.

"You'll pay for that – "

Nemo made to punch the brat, but Alonso's own hand stopped her.

"Fighting again?" He asked. Johnny was there, too.

Nemo slapped his hand and walked away from them. She couldn't be bothered justifying her actions. Besides, she refused to let anything ruin her perfect morning.

She would finally be granted the position she had longed for.

There was a large crowd gathered around the school noticeboard where the chosen student representatives were listed. Nemo felt so self-assured that she decided not to check it until the crowd had died down. 

She knew she'd been picked, it was just a matter of which sport it would be for.

"Nemo! Come look at this!"

It was her best friend, Ashley.

Nemo turned around and walked over to her.

"What?"

"See for yourself! Check the notice board!"

She wasn't smiling. Curious, Nemo pushed her way through the obnoxious crowd and tried to find out what the fuss was about.

"What's the problem?" Nemo said to Ashley. "Can't you see my name's under – "

She blinked. Her name HAD been there, clearly written, under the heading 'girls' tennis'. But it had been scribbled out and another, second scrawl was beside it, which, instead, read 'MAXIE'.

"Nemo?"

Nemo turned around and stormed across the school courtyard without a backward glance.

"Mr. James, why aren't I on the team?!" She demanded as she confronted the head of the sports department. "I'm WAY better than my little sister, Maxie, but she was chosen! So WHY - ?"

"Your school report."

"What?"

Mr. James held out a clipboard with meaningless numbers on it.

"I DID pick you for the team, originally." He said, swiftly. "That was before I saw your attendance record, Miss Perone. As you can see, your attendance this year has fallen to sixty percent. It's because of this that I cannot allow you to become a student representative."

Nemo gaped at him.

"Maxie…" She muttered under her breath, angrily.

She slumped over to the lockers in a huff.

"Yeah, I ALWAYS knew I would get in." Maxie boasted to her friends. "The school know it, too… the teachers are always saying how great I am, and man, are they right!"

"I got in too!" Johnny said, by his locker. "How about you, Nemo? I got in Boys' Tennis!"

"And I got in Boys' cycling." Alonso said, with a side wink that irritated Nemo. "Anyway, what about you, Nemo? Gonna' tell us?"

Nemo didn't reply. She was experiencing a mixture of different, but all negative, emotions, and knew they were about to worsen once she caught sight of the next entity that was strutting down the corridor.

Josh appeared before her with an arrogant sneer. Her age, but taller and sporting ginger hair, two other idiots flanked either side of him.

"Boys' Basketball." He boasted loudly to the hall at large. "And EVERYONE knows how hard it is to get into that."

He grinned and leaned against his locker.

"But I knew I would."

Nemo walked past him without a word.

"Hey, Nemo!" Josh said, following her. "Hey, since I was accepted for the team… as I'm sure you knew I would be…"

She closed her eyes and tried to pretend he didn't exist. He was even more tedious than Maxie, she thought to herself.

"… would you go out with me now?"

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

"Hey, I made the team didn't –

"Shut the hell up, runt!" Nemo shouted at him. Her hand plunged instinctively in her bag for something to hit him with.

It was no secret that Josh had harboured a crush for her since they'd first met, but this was the first and most inopportune moment for him to publicise it to the school.

"Hey, so it doesn't make a difference that I'm on the team? You're on the team too, right? What did you get into?"

He'd barely finished speaking before he was forced to duck. Nemo's bey, Dromeda, missed his head by inches and hit a locker. It landed on the floor and circled him.

He whipped out his own green bey and launched it in retaliation. The two beys slammed into each other aggressively as they plummeted up the hallway.

"You'll pay for asking me that out loud, idiot!" Nemo shouted.

Josh regained his balance, grinned, and ran after his bey. Nemo was hot on his tail. Amidst the crowd, it was difficult to see where they were going exactly.

His ginger hair re-appeared behind a glass door and Nemo flung it open and stumbled into the courtyard. She took the collar of Josh' shirt as Dromeda slammed into his bey in the battle that unfolded next to them.

"I've got you now!" she said, triumphantly, as his green bey flew uselessly through the air and smashed through a school window.

Everyone was silent, until:

"MISS PERONE!"

Some figure of authority that Nemo could not discern was marching towards them.

"You're in big trouble now!" Josh muttered to her.

Headmaster Billiot was holding Josh' bey and waving it before their eyes.

"Both of you!" He shouted. "What is the meaning of this?"

"That's not mine, sir!" Josh said. "The window was her, I saw her!"

"Miss Perone!"

Nemo wanted to deny it, but Dromeda was circling her, giving her away.

"I would've expected BETTER of you!" Their headmaster bellowed. "How DARE you beyblade in the school grounds! I reminded everybody in assembly just last week that this ridiculous game was banned! Does the safety of your classmates mean nothing to you? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Not much, Nemo thought. She habitually made things worse for herself when she tried to defend her actions, so she didn't.

"As you are ALREADY on your final warning, for your attitude, attendance and failure to hand in your homework on time," he droned on, to the amusement of everyone around them, "I'm afraid I have no other choice. You are forbidden from attending the student representative award ceremony tomorrow."

And he dropped the bey like a piece of litter and stormed off. Nemo gazed hopelessly after him.

Jordan watched nearby with her gang of preppy cheerleaders. They cowered as the headteacher passed by.

Nemo picked up her bey and went to find Ashley.

"Nemo, what's up?"

They met at their next lesson. Nemo explained to her what had happened. Ashley looked at her sympathetically.

"Well, you know what you should've done. You should've just ignored Josh, everyone knows how much of a moron he is."

"It's not that," Nemo said. "He asked me out in front of everyone."

"So?"

"Whatever."

"Why does it matter so much to you?"

"What?"

"Becoming a student rep." Ashley said. "You don't half-enjoy the sports you do. And you certainly don't enjoy being at school."

"Exactly, Ash." Nemo reasoned, "student reps are allowed to stay at hotels for free. I'd be allowed to visit other cities any time I like at the price of nothing. All I'd need is a student rep badge."

"I didn't know that," Ashley said quietly. "Why does that appeal to you, though?"

"I was dreaming again yesterday about life away from home, what it'd be like… not having to be with my family… what would happen if I ran away…"

"Nemo!"

"What?"

"You can't do that!"

"Says who?"

"Me!" Ashley said, "You can't just run away from home! How could you?"

"I told you, didn't I?"

"It's for good reason the school didn't let you join any of the teams!"

"What do you mean?"

"It would be foolish to go out on your own!"

"No, it wouldn't!"

"Yes, it would! You know perfectly well it would, you're so stubborn! The police will come after you and catch you and then you'd probably be grounded for life, knowing your parents!"

"Maybe why I want to be away from them?"

Ashley was about to retort, but they were filing into the classroom and she lost Nemo amidst the line. The next time she saw her, she was sat on the opposite side of the room, obviously not wanting to speak to her.

Ashley could not remember Nemo ever being happy. She had expressed nothing but hatred for her teachers, whom she believed were unfair to her, her sisters, whom annoyed her constantly, and her parents, whom openly treated her siblings better than they did her. Nemo had been vulnerable and shy as a little girl, and Ashley believed that the hurt she'd suffered then was unresolved and had manifested itself into the emotions she had today.

Nemo had plenty of friends, though, and they'd learned quickly not to provoke her and what not to joke about. Ashley was the smartest of them all, and the one Nemo connected with the most.

But no matter what terms with Nemo she was on, Ashley thought, she would never encourage Nemo to do such a stupid thing as leave home…

At the end of the lesson, Nemo left for the library, still annoyed by Ashley. She sat there, flicking through books without interest.

"… With a base speed stat of 120, no' one can outrun mine…"

"Oh yeah? Well, mine has a base defence stat of 130."

"Anyone want to see mine? Base special of 120. Not bad, huh?"

A gang of computer nerds were talking nearby. Nemo watched them and hurled insults at them within her imagination.

Her anger gradually lessened as she observed them for a while longer. A stroke of inspiration crossed her mind and got her to her feet. She was approaching them before she knew what she was doing.

"Hey," She greeted them, and four eyes analysed her from every direction. "What's up?"

One of them, the geekiest looking, opened his mouth and replied:

"The sky is up you silly pup!"

"What?"

The boy smiled. Nemo suddenly recognised him as one of Josh's friends.

"My name is Elmo, you dig me, hey yo!"

The computer nerds sighed.

"Elmo likes to rhyme." They said in chorus.

"And I'll do it for a dime!" He answered.

"Well, let me just get straight down to it. I have a favour to ask of you guys. Can one of you duplicate a student rep badge just for me?"

"I saw what happened an hour ago! You should've just let it go!" Elmo said.

"Yeah, but I need that badge." Nemo said, firmly.

"I don't think I can make another badge, but to help you sneak into the ceremony wouldn't be hard! You don't need to make a double, you can steal one without trouble!"

"I can? I can steal someone else's?"

Nemo thought.

"How would that work?"

Elmo pointed at Tyler, who was studying nearby.

"We could pretend to be him and take his reward! Then I guess you can go abroad!"

Nemo ignored this gesture of knowledge he was not entitled to. Geeks know everything, she re-assured herself.

"The tallest boy in the basketball team! We'll dress up as him when we're doing our scheme!"

"Eh," Nemo said, "what is there to lose? The important thing is that I get a badge. Alright, I'll do it."

Nemo and Elmo found a private corner and started concocting their plan.

The following day was the awards ceremony.

"Everyone line up here! Single file please, quickly as you can!" shouted a teacher over the drone of the assembly hall.

"My class here, please!"

"Thiago, pay attention! Get in line!"

Ashley sighed as she joined the rest of her form. Nemo wasn't there, obviously. She'd been forbidden from attending.

The teachers marched the students out onto the school field in single-file. There was a large stage erected there, before a hundred rows of seats. Parents, staff and pupils alike flocked every aisle, which made it feel extremely claustrophobic even for the outdoors.

"Woah," Ashley said to Megan, gaping at all the audience members. "If only Nemo was here to see this."

But she was.

Nemo and Elmo were standing in one of the queues. Nemo was wearing sunglasses so nobody would see her eyes, and she was forcing herself to smile so nobody would believe it was her.

"Is now the time?" Nemo whispered.

"Yes, let's do our crime!"

"Would you stop with the poetry?"

They departed their line and hurried, amidst all the people, into the changing rooms off the presentation ceremony. The crowd was too thick for anyone to notice them.

"In here!"

Elmo pointed to a cupboard. They jumped inside it just as Tyler burst in with his friends.

"Yeah," He said to them, "Yeah, all my family plays basketball. My cousin, my brother… it's like we were born to play… they weren't surprised when they heard I was made student rep… alright, I'll see you outside. I just need to get changed."

The door shut. Tyler was on his own.

He reached down into his sports bag. Nemo eyed him through the crack in the door frame.

"NOW!"

They jumped out of the cupboard and grabbed him. They pulled him into the cupboard together and shut him inside before he knew what was happening.

"Hey – what THE?"

Elmo twisted the lock as Tyler thundered on the door in protest.

"We got him!"

"Yeah, great," Nemo said, breathing hard.

"Let me OUTTA' HERE!" Tyler shouted. "Hey – what are you-?!"

Ignoring his pleas, they rummaged inside his bag and found his intended wear for the occasion.

Elmo climbed onto Nemo's back and threw Tyler's black gown over them, hiding Nemo completely. He adjusted his dark glasses and collar carefully to hide his face. Now all that could be seen were Nemo's legs and Elmo's head, so that they appeared to be one person. It was unconvincing, Nemo knew, but at least their combined heights matched Tyler's very tall frame quite accurately.

"Alright, legs, let's go! Keep our profile low!"

"Don't call me that!"

Nemo walked them through the door and out into the ceremony.

The rest of the team was waiting for them.

"Where've you been? You should've got changed long ago."

Elmo, disguised as Tyler, didn't answer this.

From the buttonholes of the gown, Nemo observed the vast amount of people, parents, school officials, and other important-looking individuals on the school field.

"This idea is risky," She thought to herself. If their disguise was foiled, it would be in front of all these people.

The Nemo-Elmo entity sauntered over to the aisle of seats.

"Why are you hiding your face?" a friend of Tyler's asked from his seat.

"It's bright out here!" Elmo said, mocking Tyler's voice. "Be quiet before I kick you in the rear!"

"Don't rhyme!" Nemo whispered, angrily.

They were deafened by intermittent applause as the headmaster called each new student rep to the stage to formally receive their badges. The preppy cheerleaders, including Jordan, burst into song each time this happened and waved their pom-poms, which became infuriating after a while.

"Next up," Mr. Billiot said into his microphone, "the last chosen for the girls' tennis team, Miss Maxie Perone!"

Nemo blew steam out of her nose as Maxie received what should've been her handshake and badge.

"First up from the boys' basketball team – "

"Legs! This is our cue! We got to go join the crew!"

"Don't call me that!" Nemo hissed.

She stood up and marched over to the stage with the rest of the team. Josh was there, looking vindicated. Nemo felt another twinge of anger at the sight of him, and all thoughts of stage fright were gone.

"… Finally, Mr. Tyler Boswell!" Mr. Billiot announced, after a few minutes.

The Nemo-Elmo figure took to the podium and everyone applauded loudly for 'Tyler'.

Elmo waved from beneath his hat. He clumsily accepted the badge and shook hands with the headmaster.

"Well done, Mr. Boswell, glad to have you on the team."

"Yeah! Way to go Tyler!"

"You're awesome, man!"

Elmo bowed down low, obviously enjoying the attention; Nemo writhed in pain, not knowing how much longer she could take Elmo's weight…

"STOP!"

Suddenly, a cry emerged from the group of cheerleaders. The applause died, and it didn't take long to find out why; Nemo's eyes flickered as she spotted Jordan through the buttonholes of their gown. She had marched onto the stage, pom-poms and all.

"That's not Tyler!" cried Jordan, assuming the microphone. "That's – "

She sniffed at the disguise like a dog.

"… An IMPOSTER!"

"What?"

"What's she saying?"

"IT IS AN IMPOSTER! Two of them!"

Jordan pointed at them dramatically and the crowd gasped.

"Rats, she may be a dumb blonde, but she recognises Tyler's smell!" Nemo whispered urgently at Elmo. "Quick, say something – "

But Elmo had already sensed defeat and had leapt from her shoulders. With one sweeping arm movement, he tore the glasses and the outsize gown from both of their persons.

The crowd gasped again.

Elmo coughed and took the microphone.

"I have waited and watched for many a year, in yearning of that which I hold dear. Ever marked as geeky and weird, I have suffered the wrath of my former peers, but now with the badge I desired for so long, nothing for me can ever go wrong."

The crowd was transfixed by this dark poetry. Nobody moved, nobody spoke; and then:

"Elmo!" Josh screamed from the front row. "What the heck are you doing? Snap out of it, you're not making any sense!"

Elmo smiled and sprinted from the podium. He dodged the uproar of the off-stage sports department and hurtled across the field to the bike rack.

"Hey… Nemo?" Maxie poked her.

Nemo whipped around. The headmaster was trying to gain control of all the chaos.

"What?" she uttered.

"Didn't you want that badge, too?"

"I know that, dummy!" Nemo shouted. "Wait… get back here with my badge!"

Elmo had taken Alonso's bike, so Nemo mounted a second bike to pursue him with. Members of the audience screamed and dived out of the way as the rogue imposters veered close to them.

"Come on, let's get them!"

The boys' cycling team, equipped with their own bikes, went after them, but were unsuccessful; Nemo and Elmo were going too fast.

"Remember the deal, Elmo!" Nemo hollered at him, but he let the hat catch the wind and blow back into her face, blinding her.

"Stop! STOP!" came cries from behind them.

Nemo wrestled the hat from her face and flung herself off the bike as it landed in the school pond.

Elmo departed his own as it crashed through a school door into the Home Economics classroom and broke everything in there.

"Get back here!" Nemo screamed at him, running after him. For a geek, he was fast.

They ran across the playground and up the wooden bell tower until they reached the very highest floor.

Nemo had him cornered. He was seemingly defenceless.

Meanwhile, four storeys below, the entire school was gaining on them; a swarm of dots below, Headmaster Billiot, the school reps (including the real Tyler) and the sports staff at front, closed in on them from all sides. Nemo watched them through the large gaps in the wooden beams.

"Give me that badge!" Nemo shouted. "It's mine now! This is what we planned! There's no turning back now, I've gotta' get out of – "

Elmo fished in his pocket, and Nemo instinctively checked hers. There was a clash as their two beyblades met in the air, launchers at hand.

"Haha! What a geek!" Nemo shouted at him; his bey had nearly flown from edge of the banister and out into the crowd. "This is your last chance to give me that badge, Elmo!"

Elmo shook his head silently.

"Fine! FINAL ATTACK!" She commanded, and her Dromeda came at his bey for the kill.

Suddenly, Elmo's blue bey turned purple, exactly the same colour and shape as Nemo's.

"What the - ?"

The tides turned. She didn't know whose was hers, she couldn't attack. The beys nailed each other and dealt sparks.

"Haha! Only I can tell the real one, you great big dunce!"

One of the beys was knocked toward the edge of the tower. Nemo realised it was hers and made it dodge his attack just in time. Elmo grinned with malice.

"Can't tell which ones yours, you should now be on all fours!"

Nemo growled. A storm of people charged up the bell tower; she felt it tremble. She could almost imagine them carrying pitchforks.

Elmo's bey turned blue and he jumped onto the banister.

"This is my own back! Chameleon, attack!"

His blue bey, Chameleon, slid up the banister and dropped down onto the floor below, hitting Dromeda. It started to wobble.

"My bey is a chameleon! There's no word that rhymes with chameleon! It mimics the colour and shape itself! You look pretty good yourself! I invented this move all on my own! But I don't like to drone!"

"Guess I can't hold back any more." Nemo said through clenched teeth. It was time to use her secret weapon.

Elmo's bey turned purple and hit Dromeda. It went near the edge. He got ready to knock it from the structure, when…

"Gone?"

Dromeda had disappeared. Elmo gasped.

Nemo jumped onto the banister, and then to the roof of the tower. She was supported only by fine wooden planks. From here, she saw the whole of Gaia city.

"FREEEEDOM!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "I must win!"

Dromeda re-appeared in front of her, suspended in the air, well above the Chameleon bey.

"Vanishing attack!" she shouted.

It plummeted down through one of the gaps in the roof plinths and smashed into Elmo's bey, hurling it from the tower just as the headmaster and the other student reps climbed the last staircase.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Elmo burst into tears and jumped off the bell tower after his bey. He was caught by an assembly of people below.

Nemo was left in big trouble.

"Miss Perone!"

Nemo lost her balance and fell from the roof.

"I'll catch you!" Josh shouted, dashing forward, but Nemo simply fell flat on top of him.

"Uh, thanks for being a cushion, I guess," Nemo said. She picked up her bey. It had nearly stopped spinning.

Mr. Billiot was not looking pleased.

"Explain yourself!" He roared.

Nemo inhaled deeply, clutching Dromeda.

"I didn't mean to cause trouble," She said, "I was just mad that I wasn't chosen as a student rep, so I gate-crashed, okay? The only reason you didn't choose me was because I was hardly ever here!"

Mr. James shuffled uncomfortably.

Nemo awaited her punishment, but it never came. Instead, Billiot dissolved into a look of delight.

"That beyblading exhibition you just displayed," he said, "was so intense, and amazing to watch, that I will happily revoke what I said yesterday about it being a 'ridiculous game'. It was ludicrous to dress up as Tyler to take his badge, but after witnessing your display of sheer talent, I am prepared to do something ludicrous also. Beyblading will become its own competitive sport. If there are really people like you who can play as well as you can, it deserves to be considered one."

It seemed nobody could believe their ears. Tyler looked aghast.

"… Which is why I'm offering you," he finished, "a place, as lead student rep… of the newly enacted sport of beyblading. What do you say?"

Nemo's mouth dropped open. Maxie charged forward.

"Wait!" She exclaimed, "You can't make HER a student rep! What she did was wrong, she deserves punishment!"

She pointed at Nemo, but the headmaster shook his head.

"Nemo's exceptional talents won't be put to waste any more."

Nemo could not remember feeling this happy in a very long time.

"Thanks sir," she said, quietly. "I definitely accept that position."

The crowd, dotted at different regions around the bell tower, burst into applause. There was whooping and cheering; Billiot's word had spread right across the bell tower in a matter of seconds. Nemo shook hands with the headmaster and would openly laugh at the expressions of the boys' basketball team later.

The award ceremony was resumed in the evening. Tyler received his rightful badge and at long last, so did Nemo. Her applause was loudest. She accepted the badge and joined her friends Ashley, Johnny, Alonso and Megan.

As she passed Maxie, Nemo muttered, "at least I'm a beyblading student rep now, something you'll never be, dork."

Maxie exploded in rage, shouting:

"NEMO PERONE, YOU OWE ME A BATTLE NOW!"


	2. Chapter 2 - Sibling Rivalry

**Chapter 2 – Sibling Rivalry**

Ashley was hurrying down the road toward Nemo's house. It was the last day of June, the schools were breaking up and everyone was generally in heightened spirits. She'd already been forced to politely turn down a barbecue with her friends, and she knew she'd have a hard time turning down anything else if she met another friend in the street before she found Nemo.

"I hope she hasn't ALREADY run away!" Ashley said to herself. "I mean… I'm really happy for her that she's a student rep now, but I can't let her run away because of it!"

She finally reached Nemo's house and rapped on the front door. There was no answer.

"Damn!" She sighed and fell into a bench on the block. "If only I'd been here earlier…"

She paused. There were noises coming from the back garden. She could hear them from here.

"What's that?"

Curious, she opened the back gate and stumbled upon Corina, Nemo's youngest sister. She was even shorter than Nemo, but with the same long, dark hair, and her face was rounder and happier-looking. She was launching a bey continuously onto the ground.

"Awww, I need to get Pegani to spin faster than this," she muttered.

"Hey, Corina!"

Corina looked up.

"Is Nemo home?" asked Ashley.

Corina shook her head and picked up her bey, then launched it again.

Ashley frowned. Corina's bey was flopping as soon as it reached the ground. She moved forward and picked it up, this time before Corina could. It was oddly shaped and the colours were mismatched.

"Where did you get this?"

Corina looked at her quietly before answering.

"I made it myself," she said, "don't tell anyone, though. It's made of Nemo's and Maxie's old spare parts. They're always changing theirs, anyway. They're not very good, but they're okay."

"Oh."

"I can't get it to spin like they can, though." Corina said, sadly.

"Well, that's probably a technical difficulty."

"What's that?"

"There must be something wrong with the combination of parts." Ashley held up the bey and examined it. "Have you got any more?"

"Sure," Corina said. "Come and see."

Corina led her into her older sisters' rooms and gathered up all the old parts they'd left carelessly on the floor and under the bed.

"They don't bother picking up after themselves." Corina explained.

"Sounds like Nemo." Ashley laughed.

Corina then led her into her own room and showed her a big box with her collection of stolen parts amongst other things.

"Okay, well let's see." Ashley said, taking the bey apart. "Hmmm… looks like the attack ring is too big for the base, which is why it isn't spinning. Let's try this."

She picked up a smaller attack ring and attached it. She also managed to find another suitable weight disc; or at least one that Maxie hadn't sat on and broken.

"Now try."

"Okay," Corina said. "But mami and papi don't like me beyblading in the house, so we have to go outside."

Ashley smiled.

"Yeah, let's go outside, then."

"Should we take the box with us?"

"There's no need."

They went outside and she was proven right. Corina launched it and was surprised to see it working.

"Wow! Thanks!"

"No problem."

Ashley sat down on the grass watched Corina, delighted with her new, better-looking, orange-coloured bey.

"Try to make your launcher parallel to the ground more." Ashley advised her. Corina nodded obediently launched it for a tenth time; it spun for a few minutes before stopping.

"Cool!"

"Yeah," Ashley said. "So… why are you taking on beyblading, anyway?"

Corina paused, anxiously.

"Well I guess I can tell you. It's because I want to beat Nemo at something for once."

Ashley fell silent.

"Before Nemo beat that guy on the bell tower, everyone thought beyblading was a game for sad people, but now they've all changed their minds. That's how good my sister is, she can make people think differently about things… I wanna' impress people like that. I wanna' beat Nemo."

Corina shot a grin at Ashley, which quickly faltered.

"I hope I can." She said, "Nemo's always beaten me at everything, though. It doesn't matter what it is. Nemo always wins."

"What do you mean?" Ashley asked.

"Forget it."

"No, tell me, Corina!"

"Well, when I took on crazy golf, I scored a birdy on a really hard course."

"Well, what's good isn't it?"

"No." Corina said. She paused. "Afterwards… Nemo took it on, too."

"And?"

"… She got an albatross."

Ashley grimaced and decided not to point out the fact that Nemo didn't even like crazy golf.

"It doesn't matter what it is," Corina said, and got ready to launch again. "Nemo always beats me."

"No, Corina!" Ashley shouted, before she could help herself. "You shouldn't just let Nemo walk all over you like that! You're better than that! Just keep practicing and you'll be better than her one day."

"Nope."

"Sure you will. In fact…"

She fished in her handbag.

"I was gonna' give this to Nemo," She said, "this morning… as a present for becoming student rep… and also in the hopes that she'd decide to stay h- … well, never mind that."

She walked up to Corina and made her outstretch her hand, then dropped an expensive new purple launcher inside it.

"Wow! For me? Really?"

Ashley smiled.

"Yeah. If you don't like purple, I can get a refund for it and buy an orange one instead – "

"No, it's okay!" Corina snatched the launcher from her. "Gee, thanks Ashley!"

"Don't snatch, though. It's not very nice." Ashley caught herself sounding like her mother, and recomposed herself, grinning.

Corina launched again. Her bey, Pegani, was spinning faster with each attempt.

"If you want to beat Nemo," Ashley said, "You need to make technical improvements as well as practical ones, so keep that launcher."

"Okay, whatever that means," replied Corina.

Ashley watched her quietly. Holding the gift that was supposed to be for Nemo.

She had never really spoken to Corina before: Nemo had always been so ashamed of her sisters being around her, and coveted her friends from them so heavily, that she knew her on a first name basis only. She decided to get to know Corina better.

"Hey, Corina." Ashley tapped her on the shoulder after a while longer. "Since you got a new launcher and all, wanna' come to the park with me? You can try your bey out with some other kids and I might be able to find out where Nemo i- I mean…"

She stopped short, but Corina hadn't noticed; she was beaming.

"It's okay if you don't. It's just – "

"Race you there!" chirped Corina.

When they got up to the park, Ashley introduced a very timid Corina to Johnny and Alonso. Maxie was on the swings nearby, with her friend Shelby.

"Hey!" Maxie pointed at Corina. "YOU'RE too young to be out on your own! I'm telling Mami!"

"Calm down, Maxie!" Ashley said, irritably. "Corina's with me."

"Oh."

"I suppose since you're here, there's not a student rep meeting going on or anything."

She laughed; she could only imagine what Nemo's reaction would be if she knew she'd been hanging out with Corina.

"I'm gonna' go talk to Shelby," Corina mumbled and shuffled over to the swings.

"Okay, you behave yourself. Geez, I sound like my mother and I'm only thirteen." Ashley laughed.

"Hey, so did you see Nemo's battle with that Elmo kid?" Corina asked them, excitedly.

"Duh! It was sweet!" exclaimed Shelby.

"Yeah, it rocked!" Maxie said, swinging her hands like a guitarist.

"Yeah," Corina said, "and that vanishing trick her bey did!"

"Oh, please, I could do that if I wanted to!" boasted Maxie. "There's nothing Nemo can do that I can't!"

Corina laughed.

"Okay, prove it."

"I… I'm not in the mood to right now!" Maxie shouted, blushing red.

Corina rolled her eyes. Any excuse not to do anything as always.

They gathered around the slide and Corina engaged them in a conversation about the mystery of bit-beasts. Ashley watched them from afar, and heard every word.

"Of course bit-beasts don't exist! Next thing you'll say President Eisenhower really did meet up with aliens!" Maxie laughed.

"But Maxie," Corina pleaded, "they MUST exist, because there's so much evidence."

"What ARE bit-beasts?" Shelby asked, looking clueless.

"They're mythological spirits," Corina informed her, "composed of spiritual energy. According to legend, they guided and protected the very first civilisations of mankind. They're said to inhabit small things and only show their power when they recognise a worthy companion."

She recited this word-for-word, but Shelby still looked nonplussed. Maxie scoffed.

"What's that got to do with beyblading, though?"

Maxie waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, people say their beys are better because they got bit-beasts in them, it's, you know, it's bull- "

"Ash, you okay?" Her friend asked.

Ashley snapped out of her almost trance state and nodded. Corina's hands had curled into fists, but she managed to block out the rest of their argument.

When she was certain they'd finished, she bid her friends farewell and approached Corina.

"Hey, Corina? I have to go somewhere, okay? See you guys around."

"Okay, bye bye."

She strolled to the exit of the park and sighed.

"How much longer do I have to keep Nemo's secret?" She asked herself. "It's getting harder and harder. Corina and Maxie obviously have no idea…"

She alone knew that Nemo was a familiar; she possessed her own bit-beast. That's why she could summon powers from her beyblade such as the Vanishing attack that normally, according to Physics, were impossible. Listening to Maxie and Corina wonder about the source of Nemo's strength, and then go on to talk about bit-beasts without adding the two together, was extremely difficult to listen to, and Ashley knew she could not endure further conversations like it in fear of spilling her dear friend's greatest secret.

Corina, Maxie and Shelby remained in the park.

"Circle circle dot dot," Shelby drew these shapes on the ground. "You got your cooties shot."

"I'm bored of this game!" Maxie whined.

"Well, let's go see if Jordan's around."

"Sure." Corina nodded.

They walked over toward her house and knocked on the door. Her older sister, Jodie, answered it.

"Oh, hey guys," She said, batting her eyelashes stupidly. "Sorry, but I'm like, really sorry to tell you, like, Jordan's at cheerleading practice!"

"What?"

"School doesn't stay open this long!"

"Well, like, go to the school and like, find her then! Sheesh!" Jodie retorted, clearly offended, and slammed the door in their faces.

They walked over to the school together and onto the field.

"Look over there!"

Corina pointed out toward a pair of abandoned cheer-leading pom-poms next to the school pond.

They walked through the gate and picked them up.

"They have Jordan's name on them!" Shelby remarked.

Suddenly, the gate slammed behind them, creating a metallic din that made them jump.

"Hello, girls."

Jordan's voice wafted toward their ears.

"Jordan? Where are you?!" Maxie shrieked.

"I'm no longer a cheer-leader; as you can see."

They looked up and saw Jordan perched on the branch of a tree, clutching a piece of string extended to the handle of the gate.

"Allow me to re-introduce myself. AHHHHHHHHHAAOAOAOAOH!"

She made a comical Tarzan impression and back-flipped onto the ground in front of them. There was a flash of pink and lime-green as she removed a small object from her pocket; a bey.

"After Nemo's battle, I've been inspired to take on beyblading and become the NEW strongest blader in Gaia city!" She shouted with wild triumph. "Check it out, girls! I don't need to be a cheerleader, I'll have my own cheerleaders! Not to mention…"

She giggled and blushed.

"… Tyler will definitely go out with me now!"

There was an awkward pause, and Corina, Shelby and Maxie belted over in fits of laughter. Jordan observed them through a reddened face and waited for them to compose themselves.

"That's the funniest thing you've ever said. Now stop acting like an idiot, Jordan," Shelby told her.

"I'll show you guys! I've always been looked at as the stupid blonde! Well, that's all changed now!" She shouted, her voice breaking with emotion. "Battle me!"

She whipped out her matching pink launcher. Maxie stood up with a maniacal grin on her face.

"The only thing you've ever spun round are the pom-poms whilst shouting Tyler's name," she jeered.

Jordan smiled, sweetly.

"We'll see about that, Maxie."

She launched her bey and it landed gently between herself and the others. Corina smiled. This was the perfect opportunity to reveal that she was a beyblader, too.

"I'll – "

"Alright, Jordan!" Maxie boomed, shunting Corina aside. "I'll take you on! I don't even care if we're fighting outside an arena, this suits me better."

Maxie launched her red bey, which shot like a bullet at Jordan's.

"Bubblez, vanishing attack!" Jordan shouted, and her bey hopped out of the way of the oncoming attack.

"What the?"

Leonine sped by and crashed into a rock instead, unable to brake in time.

"Did she just say – " Shelby uttered.

"Vanishing attack, yeah," Corina said, bluntly, "but that wasn't a vanishing attack, really. When Nemo did it, her bey disappeared completely, it didn't just bounce into the air."

Leonine came for a second attack, but Jordan ordered a second vanishing move and it bounced out of the way again. A few attempts later, and Leonine started to wobble, whilst Jordan's Bubblez' bey remained upright.

"How is it doing that?!" demanded Maxie. "Cheater!"

"It's attached to a spring. Every time you try an attack, it'll jump out of the way!" Corina answered her.

"Nice one, Sherlock!" giggled Jordan, and she began to dance on one foot in time with Bubblez' attack.

Leonine approached Bubblez again, but missed and struck a tree. It flipped over and wobbled dangerously. The battle was nearly over.

"A spring? That's the worst idea I've ever seen!" Maxie yelled at Jordan.

"Worst idea you've ever seen?" Jordan repeated. "Still beating you, though!"

"Attack, come on, Leonine!"

"Bubblez, vanishing attack, go!"

Jordan's bey hopped onto a rock, and then, after gaining a bit of momentum, bounced onto the axis of the school-gate, so that it hopped in place on the metal structure.

"Now it's my turn to fight!" Jordan shouted. She twisted on one foot like a ballerina and did a little leap in the air. "Attaaaaack – "

Maxie clenched her teeth. Leonine was below, a sitting duck perfectly in range –

"What are you girls doing?"

Corina's eyes darted around. The school gate was flung open, and Jordan's descending bey was brushed simply aside and landed limply on the grass.

It was Headmaster Billiot, and he looked cross with them – but not unlike how he'd looked before he'd awarded Nemo a place as a student rep, Corina thought to herself.

Apparently, Jordan thought so too, for she simpered:

"Oh, Mr. Billiot! You saw my battle, did you? No need to commend me, it was nothing, headmaster… although a place on the beyblading team wouldn't go amiss…"

She cupped her hands together and dazed dreamily into this eyes. He blinked and chortled with laughter.

"Miss Halliday, if you desire a place on the team, I suggest you talk to Miss Perone – Nemo, that is," he corrected himself as he caught sight of Maxie and Corina. "After all, she's the leader of the team and the task of selecting comrades has been delegated to herself. She's doing try-outs tomorrow."

"But – "

"Which reminds me, do congratulate your sister again for me, won't you?" He said, approaching Maxie. "The other schools have agreed for beyblading to be hosted as one of the competitions at the inter-school sports day in August. It's going to be very exciting!"

"Yeah, real exciting." Interjected Shelby, and the headmaster left them.

"Wait, Mr. Billiot!" cried Jordan, and made to rush after him. Maxie grabbed her arm playfully and wrestled her between laughter.

"Don't think he'll replace Nemo as team leader, Jordan! You're weak!"

"Stronger than you! I nearly beat you!"

"You can't even do a proper vanishing attack! Just saying it doesn't mean you can actually do it!"

Corina glanced at Maxie. "Yeah, you know, that reminds me of someone."

Corina watched pleasurably as Maxie's smirk dissolved into a scowl. Her earlier jibe had not been forgotten. She sulked without response.

"It's not like I haven't tried to beat Nemo…" grumbled Maxie. "I dunno' how she does it, but she always wins…"

"There, there," Shelby re-assured her, "Nemo truly is the champion of this game, after all."

"You're wrong." Corina stated.

"What, who's stronger then?"

Corina flashed her orange bey, Pegani, at them and ignored the underhand remarks they shot at her for it.

"I'll be the one who beats Nemo and I won't give up until I've done that!" she spoke over them.

"Yeah, right – you and whose army, Jordan's?"

"I'm not gonna' let Nemo win over me this time! I'll take back every victory Nemo's ever stolen from me the way I know best, and get others to acknowledge me for once! Nemo isn't the best, she can be defeated and I'll prove it to you! And after I've done that, I won't listen to what Nemo tells me to do anymore!"

Ashley was walking home with Nemo after a tiring day. She had been waiting to get Nemo alone to talk to her, but all Nemo would talk about was her first experience as a student rep.

"… So, I'm holding try-outs tomorrow to find the best contenders at school. As the team leader, I'm allowed to choose whoever I want. You should come, it'll be awesome."

"Wow," Ashley said, "So does this mean you'll be staying here after all?"

"Well, I've decided to stay for all the stuff that's happening right now." Nemo shrugged. "Then I'll leave."

"Do you plan to compete at the inter-school sports event?"

"Probably not."

"Nemo!"

"Ashley?"

"You have your team to think about!"

"I won't pick people if I think I have to hold their hands."

"… And your sisters wouldn't want that, would they?"

Nemo stared at her, suspiciously.

"What do you mean, they wouldn't? How would you know? We don't even talk."

"I met Corina earlier today," Ashley said, looking guilty. "And we had a little chat, too… about you, that is…"

"WHAT?"

"Listen, Nemo. You always told me your family was awful, but Corina's not so bad at all. Neither is Maxie. I've gotten to know them both, and I think you've created your own problems because of the way you treat people."

Nemo shook her head quietly, and Ashley decided not to press the subject.

"Corina was talking about bit-beasts earlier," she added conversationally, "With Maxie and Shelby I mean."

"So? What does it matter? What do I care?"

"Oh, well I was just wondering… are you going to keep the fact that you own your own a bit-beast a secret forever?"

The two friends fell silent, facing each other.

"Duh." Nemo said after a little pause. "My bit-beast is the only thing my parents can't take away from me and give to Corina or Maxie. If they find out, they'll pester me about how to get one for themselves, they'll try and dispose of it, and when things don't go according to plan they'll tell our parents anyway. The police could get involved, maybe even the media. My sisters will go to any length to get their own way."

She shivered at the thought.

"This is the most precious thing I have. People are stupid and my sisters are selfish. I'll never tell people about this."

Nemo turned abruptly and walked away from Ashley.

"… You'd better not tell them, either!"


	3. Chapter 3 - The Weak Sister

**Chapter 3 – The Weak Sister**

The next day, Nemo faced an audience of over a hundred people as she shepherded hopefuls into groups. Word had spread fast that she was looking for people to join her team, and with so many volunteers, the headmaster had allowed them to book the school sports hall and erect several beystadiums there.

"Wow, I can't believe so many people signed up." Nemo said, admiring the number of candidates.

"It's only because of the battle on the bell tower," Johnny muttered in her ear.

"Yeah, before then it wasn't so fashionable." Megan agreed.

Nemo counted all the entrants. Some of them were in formal sports gear, even though she was just dressed casually.

"Okay everyone… uh… can you get into groups of three, now?" she called from the rear of the hall.

The members of each group would face each other in an all-out battle, and the last person standing in each group progressed to the next round where they were pitted against another lot of entrees. She had requested the help of Megan, Ashley, Johnny and Alonso to ensure there was a fair outcome in each fight.

"Hey, look over there, it's Maxie!" Megan pointed out to Nemo.

There was no mistaking it, Nemo thought to herself. She spotted her sister in one of the groups with her Leonine bey, defeating her opponents effortlessly.

"Maxie!" cried the boy beside her, "you're already a tennis student rep! You can't be two things!"

"I wanna' be a beyblade rep more!" Maxie shouted, with a big smile. "You never know, I might even replace Nemo as team leader! Go, Leonine!"

"There's Shelby and Jodie!" Ashley said, enthusiastically.

"Look! There's – "

"Who cares?" Nemo blurted out.

Her friends each looked at her, affronted.

"Uhhh… what?" Nemo said. "I really don't care who's here. I only care if it's someone good enough to make the team."

After a little while, the groups dwindled down and eight finalists were decided.

"Finally, the boring bit's over," smirked Nemo, and she led them to the centre stadium; the largest.

"Here's how it works," she said, "one by one, you'll each battle me, and then I'll pick the best based on how you do individually."

The candidates shuffled uncomfortably.

"Who's up first then?" asked Nemo, as she raised her trusty Dromeda bey to the light.

Despite having made it to the final round of the contest, six of the eight finalists were quickly defeated by her.

"No!"

"My blade!"

"How did you do that? You cheated!"

"No, you're just weak! And I don't take weaklings for my team!" shouted Nemo, as her Dromeda tore through her next opponent's bey so that the attack ring snapped cleanly in two.

Maxie anxiously awaited her turn. She was the last finalist standing.

"Up next – Maxie!" announced Megan.

Maxie charged up to the stadium, and didn't even give Nemo a chance to scorn.

"Screw you, Nemo! I can't lose to you this time! I'll make it so that you HAVE to award me a place!" she roared, and Leonine burst from her launcher.

Nemo launched Dromeda, and the beys met in the middle of the arena.

"This won't take long," Nemo smirked, "I already know the three people that I want to join my team."

"Well, you're going to have to re-evaluate it, because I'm going to beat you!"

There were whispers amongst the other finalists, and Ashley frowned. Hardly anyone had known that Nemo was related to Maxie because she'd distanced herself from her family so much. The suspicions of whether or not she would go easier on her younger sister were quickly despatched, however, as Dromeda tore at Leonine relentlessly…

Unbeknownst to Nemo, Corina was hurtling through the park, determined to make try-outs despite not being enrolled at the school. She knocked people aside in her rush.

"Sorry, sorry!" She shouted at them, hastily. "I've got a battle to make!"

Nemo's Dromeda had forced Maxie's Leonine toward the edge, but it had broken free with a split second to spare.

"Whew!" Maxie blew a sigh of relief.

"Okay, you've got five seconds to do something amazing that'll make me put you on the team." Nemo said, impatiently.

"Oh yeah?" Maxie grinned. "Well take this – "

She blinked. Her bey had nearly stopped spinning. It was wobbling uselessly.

"Yeah?"

"No… please…"

"What? You want some of this?"

"No…" Maxie whimpered.

"Yeah? You do?"

"No… I…"

"Yeah?"

"I – "

Nemo raised her hand. Dromeda slammed into Leonine, and it flew through the air to the applause of the other entrants below.

" – Lose. That's what you've done. Oh look, my bey's hardly lost any spin at all. I told you to do something to make me put you on the team, but you didn't, so that's what you get, idiot." Nemo said, coldly.

Maxie cursed and punched the ground. Dromeda returned to Nemo's hand.

"Okay," She said as Maxie sulked. "You guys need a lot of training, but the three people I've chosen for my team are – "

"Stop right there, buster!"

The audience gasped.

"Look! Up there!"

Nemo looked up. So did a hundred other heads.

At the top of the banister overlooking the sports hall, Corina stood. She had her foot on the banister and she was holding her Pegani bey to the spotlight so that it was a dark silhouette.

"Fight me first!" Corina shouted at the top of her pipsqueak voice. "Don't choose anyone yet! I wanna' fight! Let me!"

And she actually lifted her other foot and jumped off the banister in determination.

"Corina!" screamed Ashley as she covered her eyes.

Like a balloon, however, Corina landed lightly and simply bounced back up again, unhurt.

"I want to fight you! I've been training for this moment, and today's the day I finally beat you at something! If you don't let me battle you, I'll tell mami!" Corina finished, to general impress.

"Shut up," Nemo ordered the others, and they fell into silence. She turned back to Corina. "First of all, I don't take tattletales on my team."

"Try saying that five times faster," Megan uttered to Jonathan.

"Secondly, you're not old enough to be on the team, as the headmaster will tell you."

Headmaster Billiot, who'd been hovering in the background with the sports staff, coughed and moved forwards, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect this to arise…" he said, eyeing the underage contender. "Are you sure you can't just wait a few more years? Although, if she's half as good as her sister, then…"

He turned to Nemo and smiled, awkwardly.

"Let her try, won't you? You alone can pick your team, but at least give her the opportunity to prove herself."

"Do it, Nemo," Ashley muttered, quietly.

Nemo gazed into Corina's pleading eyes and shook her head. "It's not as if she's ever proven herself the last fifty times I've beaten her at other, similar things."

This was the straw that broke the horse's back.

"You're so stupid!" Corina pouted. "I've been practicing all day and all night to challenge you and now I tell you I actually have a bey you just stand there and say – "

"Oh please, it's quite simple," Nemo said, "I don't care whether or not you have a bey, you're still a wimp with or without it. I've never seen you play, but you can't beat me. You're not better than me at anything, remember?"

There was a flash of purple; Corina's launcher was out. Her Pegani and Nemo's Dromeda met in mid-air and fell back into the arena.

"That's so unfair!" One boy shouted.

"Yeah!" said another, "Nemo, we had to go through all the previous rounds! Corina can't just skip all the work we just did to get here!"

But they stopped shouting and gasped. Pegani was hitting Dromeda rapidly, forcing it back – Nemo was losing.

The finalists began to cheer for Corina. Ashley watched alongside them.

"Come on, Corina," she whispered. "Prove to her she can't just bully her sisters around like she thinks she can. Show her she's just as vulnerable as the rest of us."

"What?" Johnny asked. "Did you say something, Ash?"

"No." Ashley lied.

Dromeda and Pegani skirted the edge of the stadium, attached to each other like magnets and dealing sparks everywhere.

"Wait a minute," Nemo said, "why the heck do you have an orange bey and a purple launcher?"

She pointed at Corina's launcher.

"None ya' business!" Corina responded, coyly. Nemo laughed.

"Stop trying to be me, sweetie," she said, "it's never going to work!"

"I'M NOT TRYING TO BE YOU!"

Pegani tore away from Dromeda, and then slammed into it, nearly causing it to leave the arena.

"I might actually win!" Corina grinned, but Nemo shook her head.

"Okay, sweetie, guess you get to take on level F2."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that I was going easy on you. You've just been fighting level 'F1'. I let people like Maxie fight it and if they do well enough, I take it up a notch."

Corina's jaw dropped.

"You're lying," she said. "You're going your hardest, whether you like it or not."

"No, that's level 'F5', stupid."

Corina's temper reached breaking point.

"WELL, GO YOUR HARDEST THEN!" She shrieked.

These words had barely escaped her lips before she realised what a bad idea it had been to suggest it.

Nemo smirked, and as if by magic, Dromeda disappeared from the rim of the stadium.

"Where'd it go?"

Several members of the audience looked around, unable to spot it; until someone pointed upward, and their eyes followed.

Dromeda had actually re-appeared right at the top of the sports hall, inches from a spotlight. Everyone screamed with applause as it shot downward in a stream of magnificent purple.

"NOOOO…"

Corina's poor bey was a sitting duck; Dromeda landed on the helpless spinning top and shattered it into a million pieces of orange plastic.

Nemo's eyes were shrouded in darkness. Orange bits flew past Corina's eyes, her face a picture of horror.

And then her past flickered before her like film.

"Sorry, Jessica, I win again!"

An eight-year-old Corina stood triumphantly at one end of the tennis court. Her best friend was on the other side.

"Whew, I'm thirsty! Wanna' come to the café and get a drink with me?"

"Nah," Corina bounced the ball on her racket. "Let's have another game."

"No, Corina, I'm really tired!"

"You're a wimp, Jessica."

A shadow engulfed her. Corina looked up. Her older sister, Nemo, stood there.

"Are you using that racket?" She pointed. "That's not yours. You took that from our dad's cupboard, he was going to give it to me."

"Nuh-uh," Corina said.

"Yuh-huh."

"I deserve it more."

"Oh please, I'm ten times the player you are."

"Oh yeah?" Corina challenged her. "Bring it!"

And they'd played. And it went without saying that Corina hadn't won a single point. At the end of the game, the tennis racket fell between her hands and onto the patio, where a bored-looking Nemo retrieved it.

"How do you do it?"

"What?"

"Beat me… at everything… all the time!"

"Oh, it's really very simple." Nemo said, walking away. "It's not that I'm good or anything. You're just really bad."

The memory dissolved.

It was winter later that year. Corina was sitting on a cushion facing a large oak chess board. Nemo was opposite her.

"Just hurry up and make your move."

Corina was in check; there was only one move available to her, and she'd lose her queen. She couldn't afford to lose any more pieces, being two knights, a bishop and a castle down already.

She moved her queen forward and waited for it to be taken by Nemo's castle, but instead, Nemo's hand rested upon her bishop.

"She hasn't seen it!" She thought to herself, with a sigh of relief.

"Check mate."

"What?"

Corina analysed the board, trying to find a loophole in this two-word phrase, but there was none: Nemo had won again.

"That means you have to do the washing up."

"Not fair! Rematch!"

"How many times have I beaten you in the past?"

"Um…" Corina said. "About…"

She couldn't count all the occasions this had happened.

"Exactly," finished Nemo.

The crowd cheered, amazed by the second Vanishing attack Nemo had demonstrated.

"That was even better than the last one!" Megan screeched, bouncing on the tips of her feet. Johnny stamped his feet in victory.

Ashley eyed Corina, who'd dropped to her knees; apparently, nobody else had noticed her.

"Excuse me," she said, barging past Alonso. She kneeled over and took Corina's arm, trying to comfort her.

"Ashley?"

"There, there, Corina," Ashley said. "You did your best. You were so good."

"Nemo! NEMO! I want a rematch!" Corina demanded, tearfully. "That wasn't fair! You cheated! Your bey can't fly to the roof!"

Nemo's back was turned; Corina's words simply fell on deaf ears amidst the ruckus. Headmaster Billiot was shaking her hand again, gleefully.

"Don't worry about her," Ashley said, but Corina paid no attention to her and walked to the door, looking completely downcast.

"Is that it, then?" said Billiot. "Congratulations Nemo, another excellent performance from you, but nothing less than I expected. An attack like that one, the other schools will have nothing on their side to compete with. They won't see it coming! It'll compensate for us losing at the hockey seventeen times in a row…"

"Sure." Nemo said.

"And don't forget the independence festivities tomorrow," he told her. "The annual beyblading tournament is taking place there. If you're the head of the school team as well as the champion of Gaia City – now that's quite something, isn't it?"

Nemo nodded. She didn't really care about the so-called 'festivities'. Champion was nothing but a title to her, which, she reminded herself, was exactly how she felt about her leadership position.

Corina was sitting outside the bell tower. Ashley had followed her there.

"Hey… Corina, you okay?" She asked, worried.

Corina nodded her head without looking at her. Ashley sat down beside her.

"Hey, come on. Turn that frown upside down. You did brilliantly against Nemo for your first competitive battle. You were better than half the other finalists, including Maxie."

"But still not good enough."

"Corina, even if you didn't win today, there's always – "

"Never."

"Huh?"

"I'll never beat Nemo at beyblading now. I only took on beyblade because the spinning tops looked fun and I thought I stood a chance of beating Nemo at it. I don't wanna' play with them anymore."

"But why, Corina? Because Nemo says you're not good? Does that seem logical to you?"

Corina shook her head.

"Once I lose to Nemo in something," she said, "It's over. She won't compete with me at the same thing again because I keep wasting her time, losing to her. Besides, I don't have a bey anymore."

"Don't be like that!" snapped Ashley. "You need to stop listening to everything she tells you to do."

Corina shook her head vigorously and pointed upward, at the general compass of the bell tower, but Ashley hardly needed reminding of the feat that Nemo had procured her newfound fame with.

"Corina, you're not giving up." Ashley said, firmly, "I'm going to help you make a brand new bey. It'll be even better than the last one. We'll use new parts, not spare ones lying round the house. And then you'll practice and challenge Nemo again at the tournament tomorrow."

"What's all that racket?!"

Maxie got up and moved to the window. It was six a.m.

Outside, she could distinguish her friends Shelby, Jordan and her sister Jodie, plus her own sister Corina along with Ashley. They were huddled in a group, apparently transfixed by something.

"Yes, you're getting the hang of it now, Corina!" Ashley was saying. Jordan and Shelby had broken into a chant.

"Lucky Nemo's staying at Megan's tonight, she'd never approve of this!"

Maxie went outside. "What's going on?"

An orange and aquamarine bey moved out in front of her and kicked up dust in her eyes. Maxie gasped, spluttering. She tried to run away but the bey followed her.

"Get it off! GET IT OFF!"

Corina grinned. The bey went back to her and circled her feet. She bent over and picked it up.

"What the heck is that?!"

"My new bey. Duh." Corina said, fondly.

"Corina made it all by herself! Yesterday we went out and got the right things and Corina's been practicing non-stop since yesterday evening! Isn't that right, Corina?" Ashley squealed.

Maxie scoffed, but even she couldn't mistake the dark rings around their eyes.

"I'm not going to let Nemo humiliate me anymore," Corina uttered, her voice strained with tiredness.

"She's so up herself." Jodie agreed.

"… But the main reason is," Ashley said, "Corina's been bullied for all these years, and yesterday was just the icing on the cake after that traumatising defeat. It's time for Corina to start sticking up for herself, and it starts at tonight's tournament."

She coughed.

"… I know I'm supposed to be Nemo's friend, but I don't think Nemo should be acting the way she should about things… but Maxie, please keep this confidential. If Nemo finds out, I'll never be forgiven. I've made Shelby, Jordan and Jodie swear not to spill the beans as well."

Maxie tilted her head as if to ask Ashley whose side she was on, but then Corina began launching her bey again to general appraise and she eventually joined in.

Corina continued to launch Pegani until she finally toppled over from exhaustion. Ashley ushered her inside to get some rest, whilst she and the other three spent the rest of the morning conducting travel plans to watch the tournament and witness, once and for all, they assured themselves, Nemo's deserved defeat.


	4. Chapter 4 - Finding True North

**Chapter 4 – Finding True North**

In the semi-darkness of the evening, the hillside of Gaia City stood out like a sore thumb, ablaze with a light display that Nemo knew marked the premises for that night's annual festivities.

She returned home from Megan's late that night, and got scolded by her mother on the doorstep.

"Why are you so late?" She snapped as Nemo let herself into the house.

"I got lost on the way home."

"Very funny."

Nemo slipped past and rushed to the stairs. "Don't think you won't be punished if you get home late again, Nemo! I can't make dinner if I don't know where you are!"

Nemo cringed, hating the sound of her mum's voice.

"And don't forget you need to be ready for tonight's competition at eight!"

Nearly there –

"Corina's entering, and if you destroy her beyblade again, you're grounded!"

Nemo cursed as she slammed her bedroom door. Her policy was to treat everyone equally, no matter what the relation was; anyone who jumped from the sports hall balcony like that was an attention-seeker and deserved to have their bey destroyed, she reasoned with herself.

"Corina's entering…" Nemo thought aloud as she sat on her bed. "That means she's got a new bey."

She knew Corina had stolen spare parts from her room to make the last one, and had probably done so again – but as she checked the box underneath her bed, she noticed that there were no less parts there than yesterday.

Nemo stood up and laughed as she entertained the possibility of Corina buying her own materials for once rather than taking from others – although, she thought, even equipped with the most expensive bey on the market, she could never beat Dromeda.

"I have more than just a bit of metal and plastic," said Nemo, quietly. She withdrew her purple bey and held it to the light, inspecting the core. "I have… Andromeda."

She could almost picture the silver, serpentine eyes of the Andromeda bit gazing back at her, coiled inside.

A cold chill swept the room. Although the window wasn't open, writing equipment scattered across the desk was lifted and circulated Nemo, suspended in mid-air, as she gazed intently at the bit. The curtains frolicked and the lampshade cackled.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. The mysterious chill didn't die in time before it swung open.

"Dinner's ready," said Maxie. "Gotta' get your strength up for tonight's tournament, ready for the day I finally beat y- "

She caught sight of the suspended objects. As Nemo glanced at her, a floating pencil was thrown by an invisible force like a dart at her head, which narrowly missed her.

Maxie backed out of the door speechlessly and slammed it shut. Nemo heard her thunder down the stairs and meet their mother in the kitchen.

"Mami! Mami! You'd never believe what happened! Nemo – she – "

Their mother heard her story between sobs and responded, "don't be so ridiculous, Maxie… enough of this nonsense… just imagining things…"

Nemo smirked. Yes, imagining things – imagining herself ever being able to beat Dromeda.

Nemo was with Maxie again later that evening. Their mother had gone earlier with Corina to meet their father at the festivities, because he was doing all the electrical work there, so Nemo had once again been brandished with the undesirable task of escorting Maxie.

They were walking to the bus-stop, where Nemo was planning to meet up with Ashley.

"… Don't care what you say… I saw what you did… you're up to something, and I don't like it…" Maxie was mumbling.

"What? Speak up, I can't hear you."

"In your room… that pencil…"

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

Nemo laughed as Maxie glared daggers into her eyes, and tried another angle to attack her from.

"You may think you're the best, but Leon won the last tournament, which just proves – "

"I didn't enter the tournament last year. I couldn't be bothered." Nemo said, with an audible sigh. "And it's okay to talk about beyblading, but is that ALL you ever talk about?"

"Just because I – "

"Shut up. I'm done with you."

Nemo quickened her pace, and Maxie spluttered between trying to keep up.

"Corina talks about it more than me!" She jibed. "Especially now Ashley's bought her that awesome new bey! She's entering too, so not only are you going to lose to me, but – "

Nemo halted and grabbed Maxie by her neck, thrusting her against the wall on the side of the curb.

"Ashley made Corina a new bey?" She clarified.

"Gerroff' me!"

"When?"

Maxie stammered her reply, prying at Nemo's hand.

"Ashley didn't make it – Corina did! Yesterday! You were at Megan's!"

"Corina hasn't got any money."

"Ashley bought her the things she needed and Corina put them together – I dunno', I forget! Now let me go!"

"How do you know this?"

"Let go of me!"

"Do you want me to stab you with a pencil again?" bribed Nemo, her eyes dark.

Maxie stopped fidgeting, and information trickled out of her mouth like a running river.

"Corina battled me and a few of my friends this morning – Shelby, Jodie, Jordan – all at once – in the back garden of our house – practice for tonight's tournament – she beat us – "

Nemo raised an eyebrow. The four of them were individually weak, there was no doubt, but to beat them together was an impressive feat to say the least for someone with no other credentials.

Something sounded fishy about Corina's newfound talent. She couldn't get that good on her own, Nemo thought, and she couldn't have had the stomach to pull herself out of the dirt after that last crushing defeat.

Nemo relinquished her grip and Maxie regained her balance.

"Ashley's been helping Corina, hasn't she?"

Maxie hesitated. She knew not to put a foot wrong around Nemo when she had that look in her eyes.

"Yeah… yeah, she has."

Nemo closed her eyes, remembering what Ashley had said: "you always told me your family was awful, but Corina's not so bad at all…"

It was all beginning to make sense. Ashley had been coaching Corina and motivating her. The only concern – and Nemo could not bring herself to contemplate the alternative – was that Ashley had not, indeed, told Corina about the existence of her beloved bit, Andromeda.

Nemo would have to find this out for sure first, though.

"Friend is just a word to me," said Nemo, absent-mindedly, as she paced the pavement. "I trust them with my secrets, but they don't always respect my privacy… because they don't understand… Ashley wouldn't understand… why would she?"

Maxie gave a small cough.

"Uh… Nemo?"

"What do you want?" she snapped.

Maxie gestured to the bell tower, looming in the distance. "We're gonna' miss the bus if you don't stop talking to yourself. It's five past seven."

Nemo's eyes sprung open.

They hurtled around the corner and down the road. No sooner had they reached the bus stop when the vehicle pulled out and abandoned them in a cloud of exhaust fumes.

"NOOOOO!"

"Stop! STOP!" Maxie yelled, to no avail. She fell to her knees and punched the ground. "This is all your fault, Nemo! This is what you get for missing anger management!"

Nemo blushed. "That's what you get for not telling me all this sooner!"

They glared at each other.

"Look, it's not even that far up the hill. We'll walk there."

"What?! Do you even know how hard it is to climb – "

"Shut up and do what I say!" spat Nemo.

The hillside had been turned into one giant funfair, with brightly coloured stalls and a giant tents dotted across the landscape. It was just how Ashley remembered, it, she thought, as she dismounted her bus.

Everyone was pouring out of the double-deckers and taking a moment to let their eyes adjust to the light show. Ashley slipped through the crowd and found Megan, with Johnny and Alonso.

"Hey guys," she said, "have any of you seen Nemo? She was going to meet me on the bus, but I haven't seen her all day."

"No, she wasn't on our bus either." Johnny frowned. "We thought she was with you."

"Don't tell me she's missed it!"

"It wouldn't surprise me if she has," Megan shrugged. "She misses the school bus all the time. Have you seen her attendance record?"

"She's probably with her mum and dad. They came up early. Her dad was helping with the lights." Alonso suggested.

Ashley didn't answer. She knew Nemo wouldn't be seen dead with her parents in public, but remained tight-lipped about it.

They scouted the area, looking for her. Ashley passed a small group of preppy schoolgirls, including, of course, Jordan and Jodie. They were huddled around Leon, the reigning beyblade champion of the tournament for three years running. He was tall and handsome, but he looked uncomfortable with all the attention people like Jordan were giving him.

"Hey look, there's Corina!" Megan pointed out. Corina was at a gift stall with her friend, Jessica.

"Hey, Corina!" Ashley said as they caught up to her. "How're you? Ready for tonight's tournament?"

"Oh. I guess." Corina looked at the ground.

"It's okay to be nervous," Ashley smiled, "Just do your best, remember what we practiced…"

"I haven't seen her, either."

"What?"

"Nemo," said Corina. "We can't find her anywhere, and the tournament's starting in a minute. Maxie's missing, too."

Leon had edged away from the schoolgirls and walked over to them.

"You're Nemo's friends?" he asked.

"Yeah. How do you know?" Ashley asked.

"He must've overheard us past all those attention whores." Megan suggested.

Leon sighed and surveyed the premises.

"Do you know where she is? I was looking forward to battling her in today's tournament. I've heard she's good and I wanted to meet her."

Ashley and Corina exchanged anxious looks.

Nemo and Maxie heaved as they scaled the steep road. They had been trekking up the hill, but as it had got steadily darker, they'd missed the path and walked down into a forest. They'd kept on walking until they found a clearing, but they couldn't see any lights for miles around them.

They were lost.

Maxie kicked a tree stump and squatted down onto it.

"This is all – your – fault!" she repeated. "The tournament's going to start any second now! Why do you have to be such a…"

"Shut up and let me think," said Nemo, "let's see… I recognise this place, I'm sure there's a sign along the road somewhere… maybe we can order a cab…"

Sure enough, further along the road there was a sign that gave them some indication of their whereabouts. Nemo was ready to order a cab, when – they couldn't believe their luck – a bus pulled over and let them board.

"Is this bus going to tonight's festival?" Nemo demanded of the driver.

"Yes, that's our next stop!"

Nemo and Maxie sat down, commending each other's work. The bus groaned and started moving, and they were off again, into the darkness.

The beyblade tournament was starting. An audience crowd had gathered around the centre stadium, which was a giant bowl in the middle of the hill with a platforms for either opponent.

"And now, one of our most popular contests in recent years is about to begin!" announced the spokesperson. "The annual beyblading tournament! It is with great pleasure that I welcome Leon, our three-year reigning champion, to the arena. Please put your hands together for him!"

"No!" said Ashley, but she was drowned out by all the clapping. "They've started without her!"

"Damn!" said Johnny.

Leon took to the platform. He waved his hand in recognition, and Jordan and Jodie swooned loudly.

"Our first battle of this evening will be our reigning champion versus one of our other entrees." The spokesperson said. He removed a card from his suit pocket and read it. "According to the headmaster of Gaia City High School, this is someone who isn't afraid to jump off a balcony to get into the ring. Don't get ideas though, kids! Please give it up for… Miss Corina Perone."

"Corina? Her first opponent is Leon?!"

The audience clapped politely as Corina took to the arena, her Pegani bey balled up in one hand.

"Good luck." Leon smiled over at her.

"You too."

"Players, launch on the count of three! On three, two – "

Corina attached Pegani to her launcher and aimed it. She couldn't help but notice that Leon looked completely uninterested, almost disappointed with the selection of his opponent.

Of course, it was Nemo whom Leon had been hoping to face this evening. And, well, so had she. She'd thought this would be her special chance to prove herself to Nemo at last – a non-possibility when the clientele wasn't here.

But she had to cast those thoughts aside and focus on the battle. She'd wipe that annoying look right off Leon's face…

"… One… let it rip!"

The bus had been travelling for an hour when a band of lights appeared in the distance. It was almost pitch black outside, and Gaia city was nowhere to be seen. They rolled down a hill and stopped at a gate.

"Where are we?" Maxie asked.

All the other passengers were paying their fees before getting off the bus. Nemo went up to the bus driver.

"Excuse me," Nemo said, "I thought we were going to the festival?"

"We ARE at the festival!" the bus driver exclaimed. "Surely you're familiar with Clow city's annual charity festival?"

"Clow city? But we wanted to go to Gaia city!"

"We've already stopped there," replied the driver, "you can get a cab, but at this rate, by the time you get there the festivities will be over."

Nemo cursed under her breath. She grabbed hold of Maxie and scooted off the bus without paying her fare. The driver shouted after her, but she ignored him and ran through the gate and into the street. She'd never been here before.

The streets were all linen with bright lights and there were stalls and tents plastered along the densely populated areas. It reminded Nemo of the festival in Gaia, except the city itself felt so much different from Gaia. It was cleaner here; purer, somehow. There were less youths, and the older folk seemed a lot nicer than the grumps back at Gaia city.

"Don't tell me we're lost," Nemo said as they strolled up the unknown road. "I already know, dummy."

"Lost? This is awesome!" Maxie exclaimed.

Nemo sat on the curb and took out her phone.

"Okay, I can try and call a cab and get us home." She sighed. "Or if we're lucky, we can try going back up the hill. We'll probably miss the tournament, but we could get some food and then go back home with… hey!"

Maxie had wondered off into one of the open tents.

Nemo ran after her, disbanding the crowd in the process. She went into the tent and found herself at a disco. Loud music drummed in her ears and she was momentarily blinded by the neon coloured lights of the dance floor.

She followed Maxie through another opening and up a flight of stairs into the first storey of a building. It was a busy arcade.

"Where are you going? We don't have time for this!" protested Nemo.

"Forget Gaia," Maxie jibed. "This is twice as good! Got any coins?"

"These arcade games only accept special playing coins," a man standing nearby informed them. He wore a sombrero hat with a price tag on it and looked pretty ridiculous overall. "Feel free to have a go! Five pounds for twenty coins! It's all in the name of charity, after all."

"Charity?

"You're not from around here, are you?"

"No," Nemo shrugged. "We're from Gaia city."

"Well, at Clow City, we celebrate this festival by giving to others," continued the man, "for every game or activity you pay for here, you win a certain number of tokens. There are three collecting booths in the centre of the city, where you can dispense your tokens to any of three different charities. At the end of the night, all the money raised from the event is totalled up and then distributed according to the proportion of tokens in each booth!"

"How much do you usually raise?" said Nemo.

"About fifty thousand a year altogether." The man said, proudly. Maxie gawped at him.

"I'll take forty coins!" Maxie said, producing a stream of change from her pocket.

"Maxie, that money is for the one in Gaia!" Nemo shouted, but Maxie had already made the exchange and walked over to a game. Nemo followed her grudgingly and watched.

She'd spent nearly all her coins in no time, playing a game called "puffle round-up" and not even getting past the first level. Nemo jeered at her "game over" screen.

"You try, then." Maxie said, giving her some coins.

Nemo played the game and reached level six before she lost. The game dished out a load of tokens into her hands and she took them, smirking.

"That's how you do it, sista'."

The game next to them churned loudly. They turned around to see it dish out a larger number of tokens, into the hands of a boy wearing a blue hoodie.

"Wow, that's even more than you." Maxie said as the boy walked away.

"Whatever."

"What should we do now?"

"Give me your coins."

Maxie handed her the last of her coins. Nemo followed the boy to another arcade game and began to play in the booth beside his. This was a shooter game.

"Come on…" Nemo mumbled, grappling the controls.

Soon, Nemo's game ended and tokens slipped out. The other boy's game ended soon after hers, and he collected even more tokens again before slipping away.

"Were you trying to win one over him?" jeered Maxie.

"Oh, be quiet, I hate arcade games anyway."

"Look over there!"

Maxie pointed to a door. Neon green were emitted from the stairs beyond it. They climbed down the stairs and into a darkened room, where the Mission Impossible theme was playing.

"What is this?" Nemo asked the man at the booth.

"Ninja game!" The man hooted excitedly. "Five playing coins for your chance to compete and win tokens! Get around the course in the fastest time and avoid on the lasers, or it'll be deducted from your score."

Nemo decided to play and bought some more coins. She carefully ducked and climbed over the lasers without touching them. When she reached the end, she noticed she'd made a new high score.

"You wanna' try and beat me?" she asked Maxie.

"I hate these kind of games, they're boring, anyway." Maxie said.

"Stop trying to be me, idiot."

"Hey, look at the high score board!"

Someone else had just beat Nemo's score. The hooded boy from before walked out with a handful of tokens as the name "JACKIE" appeared on the screen, above Nemo's.

"I… I wasn't even trying my best!" Nemo stammered grumpily as he walked past. He didn't seem to hear her, but she was sure there was a smirk playing about his face as he went by.

"Come on, let's go." Maxie suggested.

They walked out into the town and down a street. As they moved further down the lane, the noise lessened and the attractions were fewer and far between.

Maxie's stomach rumbled. They found a brightly coloured pizzeria and went inside. Nemo offered to pay for a meal for both of them and then get a cab home with the rest of their money.

"Special offer today!" said the chef in his Italian accent. "You kidd'uns can get a meal for free, if you try our 'pizzatron' game!"

"Pizzatron?" inquired Nemo.

The chef guided them to a pair of conveyer belts in the back room.

"Twenty playing coins to participate!" he said, loudly and fondly. "A selection of pizza bases moves across the conveyer belt! You look at the orders and select the dressing for each pizza as they go by! But watch out, the belt gets faster! Try to get as many pizzas a'ready as you can!"

"So we're making other peoples' meals as a game?" Nemo muttered to her sister. "That's his job. What a cheapskate."

"Come on, Nemo!" Maxie said, looking excited. "This'll be fun!"

They gave him some coins and readied themselves.

"But don't make a mess, or no meal for you!" The man told them as the belt started. A number of pizza bases moved out, one after the other. Nemo checked the orders carefully as the chef rushed back in with them, and Maxie squabbled as she poured on the dressings for each pizza.

"I need one with… uh…" Nemo read. "Cheese… hot sauce… anchovies… uh…"

"Hurry!" Maxie spluttered as she scrambled for the ingredients.

The belt slowly moved faster. They noticed the boy from before positioned at the belt nearby. An audience of kids assembled around the two conveyer belts, waiting for a turn, but it wasn't long before the pizzatron turned into another unvoiced competition between Nemo and the boy for a high score, and the crowd had to back away to avoid getting splattered by pizza toppings.

"Cheese!" screamed Nemo. "Mushrooms! Ham!"

"Hold up, hold up!" Maxie hurled the ingredients on the pizza base. As the belt moved faster, she barely had enough time to put the toppings on properly before they whizzed past.

"Get out of the way, slowpoke, I'll take over!" Nemo said, taking the reins forcefully. The boy on the opposite conveyer belt was doing the same, and both of them were making a huge mess in the struggle.

Both conveyer belts grinded to a halt just as Nemo slapped some pepperoni on the last base.

"Final scores," a chef read out to her. "You – twenty one sold. You, boy over there – twenty. Collect your tokens from me."

"Ha!" Nemo jeered, and the boy looked disheartened.

The head chef came in and nearly slipped on a puddle of tomato sauce.

"I told you not to make a mess!" he shouted. "Collect your tokens and get out of my restaurant! Scram!"

And he thrust tokens into their grubby mits and ushered them out onto the patio without another word.

"Well, that was fun." Maxie said. "But I didn't get my meal! Why'd you go and make a mess, fishy?!"

"DON'T CALL ME FISHY!" Nemo spat at her. Maxie grinned. 'Fishy' was one of Nemo's least favourite pet names, and she hated being called it.

The boy turned to them. By the light of the surrounding buildings, they could see he was pale, short and slim, with dark hair.

"Nice pizza-making skills, Fishy." he said, snidely.

"That's not my name." Nemo hissed. "My name is Nemo. NOT Fishy."

"I'm Jackie," he said.

"I don't care."

"Hey!" Maxie butted in. "Shut up with the cosy conversation already and let's go find somewhere to eat, I'm hungry!"

Jackie took no notice of her.

"There's more games like Pizzatron all around town." he said. "If you think you can beat me again… let's just put your skills to the test, Fishy."

"Don't call me Fishy," Nemo pouted. "And you're on."

The trio went through nearly every tent. Nemo cut deep into her pocket as she exchanged for more playing coins to compete with Jackie. They played ping-pong, Find Four, had a match on the football table and they even went up the hill and had a toboggan race. Jackie kept falling flat on his face, and Nemo and Maxie laughed at him all the way down the slope as they took the lead.

Maxie took a record of how many games Nemo and Jackie had each won. Soon, they were break even.

They trekked up the hill towards a cabin where they decided to settle the score. Maxie dashed after them, forgetting she was hungry as they burst into the cabin.

It was a dimly lit, busy lodge, with a huge fireplace. The main attraction seemed to be the beyblading arena positioned in the centre of the room.

"Beyblading?" Maxie asked.

"Yeah, haven't you heard of it?" Jackie smirked.

"Have we?!" Maxie scoffed. She clapped Nemo's shoulder. "We're the best where we're from, in Gaia City! Nemo's a student rep of the game, and she can tell you how great I am!"

"You're weak," Nemo said, flatly. "Get over it."

"Strong enough to beat Jackie."

Jackie suddenly looked more serious than he did before. He faced them both from around the arena, and pulled out an indigo launcher and matching bey.

"You'd better back up your words. I don't lose at this game," he warned them.

Maxie whipped out her red Leonine bey from her pocket. "Nemo doesn't even have to get involved!"

"Get this over with," Nemo told her. "I saw a nice hair braid at the gift shop, and I want to go back and buy it."

"No sweat," Maxie said, as she launched Leonine into the arena.

Jackie launched his own and the two beys hit each other in the centre, before they started circling the ring. Leonine circled the outside, keeping up with Jackie's bey, Glaseus.

"Now I've got ya'!"

Leonine came in for the attack. It flew into Glaseus and sent it into the air.

"Is that all you've got?" Maxie asked, exaggerating a yawn. "Now, I'll finish you off! Time to – what the…"

Glaseus had twisted in the air, and shot down, as if pushed by an invisible hand, back into Leonine. The red bey was knocked out of the arena and flopped onto the ground. Jackie had won the battle.

"What were you saying?" Jackie asked, smirking over at them.

"No fair! You cheated!"

"Cheated?" he repeated, exasperatedly.

Maxie turned to Nemo with fire in her eyes as she picked her bey off the floor.

"What are you standing there for?!" she said. "You've never lost, you've gotta' beat him for me! Grab your bey and let it rip, fishy!"

"Don't tell me what to do, and don't call me that!" Nemo retaliated. She felt Dromeda in her pocket. She and Jackie did have a score to settle, and she didn't doubt that no matter how good Jackie thought he was, he couldn't defeat her or her bit-beast, Andromeda.

The tokens were overflowing in her other pocket, but she still had room for a few more…

"Alright, I'll challenge you." She told Jackie, and walked up to the arena.

"You seem confident." He said, silkily.

By now, the cabin was mostly quiet and some people were lingering around the arena to watch them play.

"So, you're a student rep, huh?" Jackie asked. "Good, then it'll be even more fun for me. I love winning against crappy school players."

"You and me both, Jackass." Nemo retorted, and she watched the smirk dissolve from his face and heard indignant gasps amidst their audience. Nemo didn't care; it was personal now.

She readied her bey and Maxie counted them down before they launched.

Both beys met in the middle of the dish and rebounded. Dromeda charged forward a second time, and began tearing at Glaseus, but it seemed to be absorbing the hits effortlessly, just like it had done with Maxie's.

"Absorbing my attacks…" Nemo mumbled, smirking to herself. "Let's see you trying to absorb this."

Her bey moved in a tight circle around Glaseus, gaining momentum until it was a blur. Then it shot out, and crashed into Glaseus, flinging it into the air.

"Don't do that!" bellowed Maxie from behind her shoulder. "Don't you remember how our battle ended?"

Nemo swore as Glaseus pelted down again, and hit Dromeda with the same amount of force. It took the hit and zipped off, beginning to wobble. Jackie folded his arms.

"Oh, snap." Nemo slapped her forehead. "I forgot – but this isn't over – "

"Nemo, finish him off already!" cried Maxie. "You're not the best in Gaia for nothing! Stab his bey with a pencil if you have to, or I will!"

"Would you be quiet?! I have a plan!"

There was something about this beyblader that was different from other opponents she'd faced. Still, that made her more eager to win.

Nemo watched and waited. The two beys circled each other. If she attacked, Glaseus would go up into the air and come down again, it was his strategy. That was her chance to take him out; while Glaseus was still airborne.

The purple and indigo beys slammed into each other. Like before, Jackie's went up into the air, slowly, draining the energy from her attack.

"Can a crappy school player do this?" Nemo shouted, "vanishing attack!"

Dromeda suddenly disappeared from sight. The crowd gasped. One small boy pointed up as her bey re-appeared high above Jackie's, balanced upside-down on the ceiling.

"Alright, Nemo!" cheered Maxie.

Jackie closed his eyes, calmly. Nemo felt a cold sensation rush down her spine; she felt the temperature of the room drop, and the fire in the crate faltered.

"No way…" she whispered, recognising the signs.

Glaseus landed in the arena, and Dromeda shot down towards it; but it was knocked off course by an almost transparent vortex that seemed to be rising from Glaseus itself. Dromeda was pushed out of the arena and stopped spinning as it landed on the floor.

The spectators clapped, the temperature returned to normal and everyone turned back to whatever it was that each of them were doing. Maxie dropped to the floor, dumbfounded.

"You… lost?" she mouthed, hoarsely. Nemo just stood there, passively.

"Don't look like that, it's just that I don't let myself lose to school representatives." Jackie said, with a hint of spitefulness in his voice.

Nemo took a moment before she shrugged and replied, "Whatever. It's just a game. I know I'm not the best, anyway."

These words shocked Maxie even more. Nemo picked up her Dromeda. Jackie went to collect his tokens and Nemo did the same. She was disappointed, but she contained it. It was her first loss, but somehow she felt confident that next time they fought it wouldn't be the same, and she'd take this experience and become better from it.

It could've been worse. She could've been back at Gaia, still confined to the fallacious belief that she was the only one in the world with a bit-beast of her own.

The three stopped at the charity booths to dispense their tokens. Maxie and Jackie shared their tokens equally between charities for saving the environment, stopping poverty and animal rescue. Nemo invested all of her tokens into animal rescue. Then they wondered back to the gift shop.

The night was considerably less busy now. It was quieter and the disco had long ended. Nemo knew she wasn't allowed out at this time, let alone so far away from home. The boy, who also looked to be thirteen, didn't look like he should be out at this time either, but he said nothing.

Maxie guffawed at the collection of launchers. Nemo and Jackie waited outside, by the shop door.

"You're an offensive player." he said, conversationally, looking up at the night sky.

"Sorry for calling you Jackass, I guess."

"No, I mean, you prefer to attack rather than defend." He corrected her.

"Yeah, I know." She said.

"I always absorb the opponent's attacks at first. You should try it, there's nothing like a good strategy if you want to improve your game."

"No thanks, I'm better off without." She replied, bluntly. "There was no' one who beat me, and then you came along. But I don't care. I now know that I suck at the game."

Jackie looked at her solemnly. "You don't suck at the game."

"I do. It's like you said, I'm a school rep. I hate my school and I get no challenge where I'm from, and that's why I can't improve." She said.

"If you're a school rep, you can stay here legally without having to pay," Jackie said. "Unless the rules are different where you are."

"They're not, thank God."

"I hated my school, too. Why do you hate yours?"

"I don't just hate my school," Nemo blurted out, "I hate the place I'm from, and I don't care about my family. I'm going to run away from home this summer and find somewhere else to stay, and after tonight, I finally know a good place to go."

Jackie stared up at the night sky. "I get it. That's why you became a student rep."

"If you repeat any of this to Maxie, I'll kill you."

Jackie didn't answer. As the lights in the surrounding streets went out, the stars became more prominent, twinkling around all above them.

"By the way," Nemo continued, "Even though I sound like I'm asking for it, I don't need your help."

"Of course you don't." Jackie replied. "But if that's what you want to do, I don't envy you. I've never been outside Clow, but I know it's a dangerous path for a teenager trying to leave home. People interfere with you. I understood that when I left school."

"You don't go to school?"

"Nope."

"Lucky," said Nemo. "But it won't be as bad as you think. My family don't care about me. Hell, it'll take weeks before they even notice I'm missing!"

She looked inside. Maxie was buying a new launcher, which looked just the same as her old one.

"And I don't need them, either. I can do this on my own."

"You won't be on your own," Jackie interjected. "You have your bit-beast with you."

Nemo glanced up at him, swiftly.

"How do you – "

"Your Vanishing attack, obviously." Jackie said. "When your bey does the vanishing attack, it doesn't just vanish and re-appear somewhere else. It puts on a burst of speed. That speed is driven by an inner energy of some kind, and that can only be your bit-beast. In Clow City, a lot of the elders know and appreciate their existence… and so do I."

"Does that mean you have one, too?"

"What did you think my last attack was?" Jackie asked. "My bit-beast lived in the shrine of Clow for many years, it was known as the protector of the city before it went inside my bey, Glaseus."

Her suspicions were confirmed. She clutched the purple bey inside her pocket. Andromeda seemed to be emitting an aura in her palm.

"It's unusual to find someone who knows they have a bit-beast. Most of them reside unnoticed, but from the way you commanded yours, I knew that wasn't the case." Jackie added.

"You can't talk to Maxie about this, either," Nemo said, stiffly. "She doesn't know about it, and I want to keep it that way."

"How does she think you can do the Vanishing attack?"

"I don't know. Some people think it's a button on my launcher, some think it's a magic trick." Nemo scoffed. "Idiots."

"But don't forget," said Jackie, "whatever they think, your bit-beast will be your most important companion when you leave home. When you learn to harness your emotions and transform them into attacks… that's when you become truly strong."

The doors flew open. Maxie came out, followed by the clerk of the shop.

"What are you doing out of bed in the middle of the night?" he demanded. "Don't you know the charity event is nearly over? Go find your parents, they're probably worried sick!"

Jackie shot Nemo one last look and turned around. He disappeared into the night, easily camouflaged by his dark clothing and hair. Nemo took the opposite road, into the night, with Maxie trudging along beside her. Ever since she'd spent the tokens, her pockets felt emptier than she would've liked.

They found a coffee shop and ordered two sandwiches, which they wolfed down quickly over steaming cappuccinos.

"So, what'll we do now?" Maxie asked. "How do we get back home?"

"I don't know."

"Why don't you call for a cab?"

"I don't have enough money," Nemo said. "I spent most of it on playing coins because you and Jackie egged me on."

Maxie groaned and fell face first onto the table. They were both exhausted and didn't have enough energy to walk any further.

The shop slowly emptied and then closed shortly after, but the waiter kindly let them stay "as long as your parents know you're here and are coming to collect you." Nemo lied and told him that they were.

They waited in the shop, alone. Hours passed, and Maxie began snoring on the table. An upturned coffee was spilt along the table where her head lay.

Soon after, Nemo slipped forward and fell into a deep slumber herself. An unfinished coffee was clutched in one hand as she slept, and even in her dreams her thoughts were with Andromeda and the journey ahead that Jackie had warned her of.


	5. Chapter 5 - Trouble in Skidoo Street

**Chapter 5** **– Trouble in Skidoo Street**

Nemo and Maxie were awoken by a waitress the following morning. They stumbled out of the shop sleepily and onto the street. The tents were being dismounted.

They scavenged the street for lost change and managed to catch a bus back to Gaia. She dragged a half-awake Maxie from the bus and paid her fare. They approached the front door of their house.

"Okay," she began, "I've got to go. When you see me walk around the corner, that's the cue to ring the doorbell. Tell them that last night you decided to stay at home and study with me rather than go to the festival."

Lame excuse, she thought. Neither she nor Maxie had opened a textbook outside school for years.

"Then tell them we spent the night at Johnny's, since they got back late and we didn't want to be at home in the dark. If they ask where I am, tell them I'm still at his house. You ready, sleepyhead?"

"Wha'… I dunno…" Maxie said, rubbing her eyes. "Go over all that again, I wasn't listening."

Nemo pushed her shoulder, annoyed. She fell backward into the doorbell and it rang. Nemo made to run but the door flew open and Nemo's mum stood there, in a formal summer dress.

"Oh, you're home!" she said, brightly. "Where were you? You spent the night at Johnny's again?"

"Yeah," Nemo replied. "Uh, and if you don't mind, I'm going to be spending the rest of the – "

"More importantly," she continued, waving her down. "Have you heard the news? Corina won! She was in the tournament last night and she beat the reigning champion in the first round, then she progressed and won the whole thing! The phone's been ringing all day – oh, you have to come in, your aunt and uncle are here too!"

Before Nemo could reply, her mother swept them indoors. She practically thrust them through the hall and out into the back garden.

Most of her relatives were gathered there, all clutching wine glasses. Her father was managing the barbecue and feeding the long table of guests. Amongst them was her older sister, Cinthia, who had decided to join the occasion and was chatting away with her uncle.

The star of the party, Corina, was being molly-cobbled by their mother's sisters. She was blushing and trying to push them away.

"Go and congratulate her," their mother hissed in Nemo's ear.

Nemo grudgingly made her way over to Corina.

"Well done, dork."

Corina looked up, a bit surprised.

"Thanks, I guess."

"Even though that's not even your bey you're using. I know that Ashley paid for it. Also, I would've whooped you all if I'd been at the tournament. But please enjoy your pyrrhic victory and don't cry over the fact that I could beat you any time I want."

The whole table went silent. Some of them glared at Nemo with obvious dislike.

Corina looked down. "Whatever. I won fair and square, I worked hard for it too. I don't care what you think."

"STOP trying to be me!" screamed Nemo, whacking the back of Corina's head. Her father and the other guests shouted in uproar.

"Sit down, and don't let me see you do that again or you won't be getting any barbecue!" Their father yelled.

The only empty seat was next to Cinthia. It turned out to be a big mistake sitting next to her, and she wouldn't have bothered if she wasn't so hungry.

"Where WERE you last night, anyway?" Cinthia asked.

"I was at Johnny's."

"Again? Girl, he ain't no looker. You're better off finding someone else."

"I'm not going out with him, idiot."

Cinthia spun on her chair and looked indifferent. Nemo could smell the wine on her breath.

"When I was your age, I had like, five boyfriends at the same time." She said, hiccoughing. "So who's the idiot now?"

"Sausages up!" Her father called. He slapped a couple on Nemo's plate.

"I'm vegetarian, dad. Just make me a salad." Nemo mumbled, but he pretended not to hear.

"I'm supposed to be getting ready for Nate's party, but mum's like, making me sit here and be all sociable," Cinthia said, whipping out her mobile phone. "Stupid, really. I wish you'd won the tourney thing. They'd never throw a party for you and then I'd never have to sit here."

She typed something on her phone, then jabbed a finger into Nemo's chest.

"I mean, you're the one who does that stupid bade-bading thingy, aren't you? Aren't you?"

"Don't touch me."

Cinthia hiccoughed and kicked her seat away. She steered herself around the edge of the chairs, in the gap between the guests and the bushes, trying not to catch her (very skimpy) skirt on one of the branches.

Nemo went to bed early that evening, when some of the guests from the barbecue were still lingering around drunkenly. She glanced out of the window and caught Corina sticking her tongue out at her when nobody was looking.

She listened to them a while longer, and couldn't help but cringe every time Corina's name was mentioned. There were even cries and cheers from below, as if Corina was demonstrating her beyblade skills to them, although Nemo was sure any move that Corina could do, she could do better.

She clenched her teeth in fury. The image of Corina on the banner was clear in her mind.

The next few weeks were some of her most stressful.

It seemed everywhere she went, the topic of conversation was Corina and her 'spectacular' victory at the tournament.

Nobody forgot that Nemo had planned on entering, so those who didn't watch the tournament thought that she'd been beaten by her own younger sister, which she denied unconvincingly.

Nearly every evening at the supper table, her father came home with news of phone calls from people who wanted Corina to appear at local tournaments around the city. She was even made the face of the beyblade section in an Asda store, a "complimentary" effect for becoming the city champion. Nemo was reminded bitterly of her every time she walked into the supermarket.

One day, Nemo was by her locker with Ashley when Headmaster Billiot began walking down the corridor.

"Hide me." She said, bluntly.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

Ashley stared at Nemo as she tried to shut her head in the locker.

Mr. Billiot didn't fail to recognise them on his way past.

"Ah, Miss Perone!" he said in greeting. "Fancy seeing you here! Well, actually I suppose not, it is the law to attend school after all."

And he gave a tinkering laugh.

"Excellent display of potential from your sister the other night, by the way – Miss Corina, is it? I was there to see her play. A shame I did not see you, but your sister, she's inherited your knack for the sport, and I would be most delighted if you considered her for your team when the time comes for her to enrol here. She will be coming to this school, I imagine?"

"I – think – so – sir," said Nemo, through clenched teeth and a locker door.

"Yes, splendid." Billiot said, stroking his chin. "Two gifted players. You should both consider yourselves responsible for the evolution of this game into a REAL sport. Maybe you should also invite that Leon onto the team. I had the pleasure of seeing him play, too. City champion for three years running. He's already a student rep in another sport, of course, but maybe we can make other arrangements at tonight's meeting. What do you say?"

"I'd be glad to, I guess."

"Wonderful!" Billy-Bob bellowed. "And speak of the devil, here he is now!"

And he pulled out a tall, dark-haired boy from the midst of the crowd. He blinked and smiled weakly at their headmaster.

"Leon, this is Nemo, the co-ordinator of the beyblading team," he said. "Student reps – I leave the matter with you. See you at tonight's meeting, Miss Perone."

And he scooted off again, leaving the three standing there, awkwardly.

"I've had it with this place," Nemo said, dully.

"What do you mean?" asked Ashley, "I thought you liked being a student rep?"

"I like it alright, but I won't if I have to put Corina on my team." Nemo said. "Oh well, I'll be long gone before she enrols here, anyway."

There was an embarrassed pause.

"Forget what I just said." Nemo shot at Leon.

"You're Nemo Perone?" Leon asked. "I've wanted to meet you, and battle you, for a long time. Pleasure."

He inclined his head politely.

"So, girls, want to go to lunch? Meal's on me."

"Sure!" Nemo and Ashley said, together.

They went to the cafeteria. Ashley bought herself some pita bread while Leon disappeared in the crowd of people.

Nemo and Ashley found a free table and sat down.

"I have something to tell you." Nemo said, quietly.

"Want some pita bread?" Ashley asked. "It's delicious!"

"Shut up changing the subject." She said. "It's about what really happened the night I didn't show up at the tournament."

She took a deep breath.

"I wasn't studying," she said. "Maxie and I tried to catch the bus and we missed it. We got a separate one a few miles down and ended up completely lost in another city."

Nemo took a few minutes explaining everything that had happened that night, the first person to know other than herself and Maxie, of course.

When she finished her story, Ashley put the half-finished pita bread down.

"… I don't want to stay in Gaia city any longer," Nemo finished. "You know how I was talking about leaving a few weeks ago?"

"You haven't talked about it f-for a long time…" Ashley stuttered. "I thought you'd decided to stay."

"I haven't wanted to talk about it," said Nemo, "my parents are worse than ever, they're angry at me because they think I'm not congratulating Corina enough."

She pulled her bey from her pocket and looked at it under the table.

"Screw this place, I've had enough and I'm going." She said. "I'm packing my things tonight and then running away, right after the student rep meeting is over. That way, the other beyblade reps will be with me and they'll make a diversion if anyone tries to stop me."

Ashley blinked.

"That's a bit paranoid, isn't it?" She asked.

"Not really," Nemo said, "nobody cares about me, but they care about making me stay and be unhappy here. Mum has a lot of contacts around the city, and there are a lot of nosy kids around and they hear stuff."

She looked around to make sure nobody was listening in. Fortunately, they weren't.

"Johnny, Alonso and Megan are helping, too," she continued. "The more people in the group, the better. And you can come too, I guess."

Ashley slumped further down in her chair.

"You heard the headmaster, it's against the law to not attend school!"

"Uh, if you say so," said Nemo, thinking of Jackie.

"You know how I feel about all this!" Ashley said, "I feel as if you're making a big mistake! You may be a student rep, but that doesn't mean you're allowed to leave forever, you're only thirteen and you could get into a lot of trouble!"

"Beats staying here, especially now Corina's famous and thinks she's so-much-better than me."

Ashley gulped. "Nemo, I think you're wrong about her. She may look like she's enjoying all the attention, but deep down I think she really aspires for a fair battle against you. She doesn't suddenly think she's better than you just because she won the tournament, and she probably doesn't think she deserves what she's getting until she's beaten you for real."

"I should've known that's what you'd say. You've been around her a lot recently, you even bought her a new bey and trained her." Nemo said, icily.

Ashley blushed furiously. Maxie must've told her, she thought to herself.

"I've only given her some help with being a better beyblader," she said. "I haven't told her anything you don't want her knowing."

"Whatever."

Ashley rose from her table.

"I have to go," she said, "I just remembered, I have choir practice. Tell Leon I'm sorry."

They looked at each other. Nemo didn't say goodbye.

"See you tonight, I guess." Ashley said, and walked away.

Nemo watched her go and made a mental note to tell the others to keep an eye on her. She was losing faith in her closest friend by the minute.

Shortly after, Leon came to their table with three trays of food balanced in his hands.

"Where'd Ashley go?" he asked.

"Who cares?" Nemo said. "Hey, did you really want to be on the beyblading team?"

"If that's possible, I'd love – "

"Okay, then listen, because there might be a free spot and you won't have to battle anyone to get a position." Nemo said, and she launched into explanation.

Ashley was walking in the direction of the park. It was an easy walk, a little way from the other side of the bell tower.

From getting to know Corina and her friends over the past few weeks, she knew they liked that spot.

Sure enough, as she went through the gate into the park, she spotted Corina on the see-saw with Jessica. She smiled warmly at them.

"Hey Corina, fancy seeing you here!" she said, brightly. Okay, she really needed to stop quoting their headmaster now, she thought to herself.

Corina looked up at her and smiled, too.

"Hey, Ash. Is it your lunch break, too?"

"Yes," she said, pulling out a wrapped up piece of pita bread from her pocket.

"Okay. We were just talking about bit-beasts, and whether or not they exist." Corina said, cheerfully. "Jessica thinks they don't. What do you think?"

Ashley felt a trickle of sweat run down her cheek.

"Say," she intervened, quickly. "Have you spoken to Nemo at all since you won the tournament?"

"No. I think she's been avoiding me."

"Oh."

There was a long pause, broken only by the rhythmic squeaking of the see-saw.

"What if," Ashley began quietly, "someone told you that Nemo was planning to run away from home and leave Gaia?"

Corina stopped to think about it.

"It's her choice, I guess." She answered.

"You wouldn't mind? Your parents wouldn't like it, you know."

"I do know."

"And nor would I, but she doesn't care and that's exactly what she plans to do." Ashley said, and added, "tonight. After her meeting. She plans to run away to a place called Clow, far away from here, and never come back."

The see-saw groaned to a halt. Corina frowned. Even in a family full of hard feelings, she didn't seem to bode well with the concept of Nemo running away.

Jessica listened to everything, speechlessly.

"And that's why I need your help, Corina. Yours too, Jessica." Ashley nodded. "It isn't going to be easy, though. She's not going alone. I think she plans to go to the border of the Gaia with a group of people, to make sure nobody interferes. I'm in the group, so I'll do my best to stop her too, but…"

She paused.

"… I've realised I can't persuade her to stay. You can, because you're a good beyblader and you can probably make her realise how strong you've become. Maybe she'll decide to stay if you beat her. It'll show her there's still good competition in the city. Beyblading is her favourite activity," Ashley continued, "and I hope it's enough to keep her from doing anything stupid."

"You want me to battle her?" Corina asked.

"Yes," Ashley said.

"Now?"

"If she's avoiding you, that won't be possible," said Ashley, "it'll be hard to get a one-on-one match with her, but if we get enough people on our side, we can outnumber them and she'll be forced to battle you."

She gasped. She suddenly understood how reckless her idea sounded, hearing the words of her own mouth.

This time, Jessica chipped in.

"What if Corina beats her and she still doesn't want to stay?"

"Then we've tried, and that's all that matters." Ashley said, flatly. "I'm her friend, it's partly my job to stop her doing impulsive things like this, even if her other friends don't feel the same."

"Oh…"

"I don't want to force you into anything, Corina," she continued, "there's no point getting involved if you don't want Nemo staying. Same with you, Jessica."

There was another pause.

"Ok, I'll do it." said Corina, slowly. Jessica nodded her agreement. "But why did you ask me?"

"You're the strongest beyblader I know." Ashley said, softly.

Later that day, the Perone family were sat around the dinner table. Nemo seemed unusually hurried eating. She excused herself early and went upstairs to her room, and did not resurface until it was time for her meeting.

Corina heard the front door slam shut from the dinner table.

"Daddy," she started, "What would you say if Nemo tried to run away?"

Her dad chuckled. "And why would she want to do that?"

"I don't know," Corina shrugged, "because she didn't like school? Because she wanted to meet more strong beybladers?"

"She wouldn't have to look very far for that." Her mum answered, eyes twinkling at Corina.

Maxie feigned vomiting under the table.

"Okay, what if it wasn't all about that? What if it was a lot of things?" Corina asked, jabbing her spaghetti with a fork.

"We'd just buy you a new sister!" her dad said.

"Daddy! Be serious."

Her parents suddenly looked at each other sternly.

"Is there something wrong, sweetheart?" her mother asked.

"No," said Corina.

"The Gaia police force are very good, Corina. They'd bring her back without failure," her father said.

"Not true, the pizzamen get here faster than the police!" Maxie jibed.

Corina stood up. "May I be excused?"

"Of course, dear."

She left the room and went upstairs. She went into Nemo's room, and pulled the large box of spare bey parts from under the bed.

Her eyes widened. Most of the parts had been taken and the leftovers were carelessly tossed to one side. She hadn't checked the box for a while, but she knew nobody could go through so many parts by themselves, especially since Nemo wasn't the kind of beyblader who needed a replacement every few minutes.

She looked around. The whole room was emptier than when she had last seen it, she thought.

She waited until dinner was over and pulled Maxie to one side.

"What do YOU want?" Maxie asked.

"You've gotta' help me," said Corina, "You know what I said at the dinner table? It's all for real. Nemo's running away. She's going tonight after the student rep meeting with some of her friends. They're acting as her bodyguards, I think."

"Running away?" Maxie quoted her. "Who cares?"

"You DO know she's taking nearly all of the spare bey parts with her, right?"

"WHAT?"

"It's true, the box is nearly empty."

Maxie raised a fist to the ceiling.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Nemo's going right after the meeting," Corina informed her, "Ashley told us to get as many people as we can on our side to outnumber her!"

"Gotcha'. Screw the girls' tennis team meeting," Maxie said, "I paid for most of those parts, I'm not letting her steal them!"

And she stormed out of the house. Corina watched her go, and then grabbed her phone, called Jessica and hurried out herself, discretely.

Nemo and the rest of her team and Leon were walking down the corridor. The meeting was over; Johnny, Megan, Alonso and Ashley stood waiting for them.

"That was exciting," Nemo said, sarcastically.

"I never thought being a student rep could be so boring! Like we actually care enough to befriend our competitors from the other schools!" scowled Megan.

"I agree." Alonso nodded.

"Oh well, it's over now. And more importantly," Johnny said, reducing his voice to a whisper. "You won't have to go to another meeting ever again, Nemo."

"Put your cloaks on," said Nemo.

They picked the long, dark cloaks that Nemo had bought them. Ashley seemed oddly quiet as Nemo ran through the plan quickly, and then they marched down the corridor, hoods pulled over their heads – except Nemo, who had two rucksacks swung over her shoulders instead.

"Just a second." Nemo stopped them outside the staff room. She knocked and there was no answer, so she pushed the door open.

There was a large lounge area, with books, coffee cups and other discarded items scattered around untidily. Filing cabinets obscured most of the wall space.

"And they make us pick up our rubbish," Megan said, shaking her head at the mess.

They crossed the room to a bunch of cabinets marked "PRIVATE" and labelled A-Z with every consecutive drawer. The keys were left strewn on a desk. Nemo plucked out the one labelled "P" and stuck it in its keyhole. She pulled the drawer out and flicked through some files, finally pulling out one labelled "NEMO PERONE – PERMANENT RECORD".

She slammed the drawer shut and locked it again. She tucked the file away in her own cloak. It was heavy.

"Okay, we're off."

"Miss Perone!"

Miss Sultan had stormed into the room. She was a teacher who particularly disliked Nemo. She eyed them all like a vulture, clutching a coffee cup.

"What on EARTH do you think you're doing? Return that file at once, or I'll sign a suspension request!"

"Leave it to me," Nemo muttered to the others. "Don't talk, or she'll recognise your voice."

She felt in her pocket for her bey and launcher, and pulled them out in each hand. Dromeda was quickly released and flew across the room at her.

Miss Sultan shrieked and dived out of the way. Coffee stained the carpet. Nemo's eyes glinted.

"Vixen Storm." She ordered.

A terrible, black funnel of wind filled the room. It engulfed every corner of the lounge; empty cups fell from their tables and broke, drawers flew open and an assortment of papers and files frolicked freely in the air.

The nine teenagers hurried out of the door and into reception. Nemo collected her bey as they went.

"We… … attacked a teacher…" Ashley whimpered.

"She'll be fine, it's only a bit of coffee!" Johnny laughed.

Their feet thundered across the padded floor as they ran for the doors. Ashley checked the time as she went. Corina was too late, and by the time they were outside, she wouldn't know where to look for them.

She pulled out an unfinished bit of pita bread from her pocket.

"I just hope she gets the message," she said to herself.

She started pinching crumbs of pita bread off, and dropping them onto the ground, leaving a visible trail.

The automatic front doors opened and they fled into the night.

Corina and Jessica turned up five minutes later. The doors burst open and they ran into reception.

"Nobody at the desk," Jessica said, "when did the meeting finish?"

Corina looked up at the clock. "Oh snap, we're too late! They could be anywhere by now!"

"It's getting darker outside," Jessica said worriedly. "We can't find them on our own!"

They could hear frightened voices through the hall. They looked at each other and followed the source of the noise. A group of teachers were huddled in the staff room, talking in raised voices. They didn't notice the two underage girls.

"Wow, what happened here? It's like a tornado hit this place." Corina looked around the room, quietly.

"Maybe it's best we didn't find out." Jessica said, darkly. "How will we find Nemo now?"

They walked out into reception. Corina was about to call Maxie, when they noticed a trail of crumbs leading to the door.

"Pita bread…?" Corina said, remembering lunch. "That's it! This trail leads to where Nemo's going! We've gotta' go and catch up to them before Ash runs out of bread!"

The nine teenagers were walking along the kerb. There was nobody out, it was a quieter part of the city. Once or twice a car came by and they stood to one side to give it room, trying to remain unseen.

Their formation had been carefully planned.

Nemo stood in the centre of the group. The three members of her student rep team stood closest to her, armed with their launchers. Johnny, Alonso, Megan, Leon and Ashley surrounded them in a wide circle. Each of them clutched a launcher and had a bey out, so that five differently coloured beys circled the moving group. Nemo had made them all out of her box of spare parts. Every time one stopped spinning, someone picked it up and re-launched it.

Ashley looked down at the last tiny piece of pita bread in her hand and threw it over her shoulder. It was a good thing she was at the far back of the group.

A bey sped past her foot, but she grabbed it. She held it up and attached it to her launcher.

"If I can just take out the rest of the beys quietly with this one," she muttered, "that'll loosen the defences a bit. It'll buy me some time."

She raised the launcher slowly, and released the bey.

It landed and moved slowly toward Megan's green bey, which was locked in the tight circle.

Suddenly, two beys appeared in front of it and blocked her attack.

Ashley gasped. She felt someone grab her hand, and two boys with dark hoods appeared over her. By the light of a street lamp, she saw Johnny and Alonso's faces emerge from beneath the hoods.

"What are you doing? Not trying to wreck the plan, are you?" Johnny asked, suspiciously.

"No, I was just re-launching my bey, it stopped spinning!" Ashley said.

"At Megan's?"

"Nemo was right when she told us to keep an eye on you." Johnny said, viciously. He turned around. "Stop, Captain! Traitor on board the ship!"

Every head in the group stopped to face Ashley. She was pale.

Suddenly, someone's launcher went off behind them and a bey flew past their hands. Johnny yelped and moved his hand away.

The two boys jumped back, their eyes intent on something behind Ashley.

Another launcher went off. There was a loud bang, and Johnny and Alonso's beys flew into the air.

"Captain, this ship isn't going anywhere." Corina said, launcher in hand. Jessica was beside her, with her own launcher out.

"Corina!" Ashley gasped.

"I got the message," she said, grinning over at Ashley.

Johnny and Alonso's beys landed on the ground. Their hands were curled up into fists.

"Think you can beat us so easily, short stuff? Nemo chose us specially! Attack!" cried Johnny.

Their beys charged forward at Jessica's. Suddenly, Corina's Pegani dropped from somewhere above them. The two oncoming beys were next to each other, and in an orange-coloured flash, it struck both the boys' beys at once and tore them both to shreds.

"Finally, I get to do that," said Corina, beaming. "That's why I got my own bey and stopped using Nemo's old waste parts. They break easily."

"Corina, watch out!" Ashley cried. "There's more where that came from! Nemo gave us multiple beys, all made from the parts in the box!"

Johnny and Alonso pulled out reserves, and the beys that were already circling them suddenly changed course and came for Corina.

The next second, there was a flash of light. Ashley fell over, and Johnny and Alonso jumped out of the way.

A stream of beyblades sped at the hooded figures, all glinting in the street light in rainbow colours as they arrived on the scene.

Behind them, a flood of people with launchers, Maxie leading them, ran out into the road.

"This enough people for you, Corina?" She screeched.

Nemo had seen everything. She quietly nodded at the three people closest to her. Together, they turned the other way and hurried off into the night.

Corina made to follow them with Maxie, but Johnny and Alonso stood in their way. Alonso tried to grab Maxie, but she dived under his long legs and rolled out from the other side. She stuck her hand out and Leonine swung out in front of her, just in time to block Megan's oncoming attack.

"Johnny! What's plan B?" Megan screamed.

"We were prepared for this!" Johnny yelled. "Don't let them catch up to Nemo! Launch all your beys if you have to!"

Johnny and one of the other cloaked teammates jumped onto the roof of a parked car. Together, they started firing more beys in random directions like bullets.

Spinning tops rained down on them all. Ashley screamed and clutched her head, crawling out of the way.

"Corina!" shouted a familiar voice.

Jordan and her sister, Jodie, were hurrying up to them. The other kids had also caught up to join the fight.

"Corina, don't you, like, have to catch up to Nemo?!" Jodie yelled.

"You're right!" shouted Corina. "Come on, Jessica!"

But Jessica was locked in a battle with Alonso and did not reply. He hurled beys relentlessly at her from his launcher. They all fell to the ground and slammed into hers, completely outnumbering her.

Pegani shot in between them, leaving a gap. Alonso stuck out his arm to stop Corina, but she dived underneath it and re-appeared on his other side.

"Why you – "

He gasped. All his beys were flying uselessly away as her bey charged through them all. Pegani sped into Corina's hand and she ran after Nemo.

"OUT OF MY WAY, SHORTY!" screamed Jordan. She had joined the fray, and Bubblez bounced past Corina's face at an enemy bey.

Shelby and some of Maxie's other friends were there too, as well as a few student reps of other sports but who owned beyblades.

"COME ON!" They yelled.

"We can't let them get away!"

"Stop them!"

Ashley aimed beys from her bushy shelter, trying to help.

Corina charged past Johnny and Megan. She nearly slipped as a bey flew out on the road in front of her. She looked behind her just in time to duck from an oncoming bey, and as it landed on the ground in front of her, she thought it looked strangely familiar…

One of Nemo's hooded companions walked forward. He let his hood fall back. There stood Leon, standing between his bey and Corina.

He looked down at her.

"You can't control what your sister does, and I won't let you," he said, "if you want to try, I'll stop you and it won't be like last time we faced each other."

Corina rose to her feet.

"Thanks but no thanks for the rematch," she said, "I've got a friend to help and a sister to beat, okay? See you!"

Leon was about to speak when Ashley grabbed his legs from the ground. She pulled him over, screaming instructions at Corina.

"What are you doing?!" demanded Leon.

"Go, Corina! Run! Before they get away!"

Corina did a running jump over Leon's bey. She heard crashing, banging and shouting behind her.

She sped around the corner and into another street. There in the distance, far ahead of them, Nemo was running with three other hooded figures.

Maxie caught up with Corina.

"Maxie," she said, panting. "Go back without me, I can handle Nemo."

"JUST NEMO?" Maxie hollered, catching up. "Who do you think those other three are?! That's her Beyblade team! You can't beat them all on your own, idiot!"

Jordan was running along behind them. She tumbled over a pothole in the road, out of breath. Alonso appeared around the corner and launched his bey at her.

"You're not going anywhere," he shouted. The bey flew at Jordan's head, but was blocked by someone else's.

The tall, muscular figure of Tyler stood over Jordan. His bey landed in front of him, launcher at hand.

"Tyler!" wailed Jordan.

"Go." Tyler said, simply. "We'll take it from here. Go and help Corina and Maxie, quickly."

"Oh, Tyler, you saved me…"

He turned to her. His eyes were so brave and handsome in the light of the street lamp. Jordan flushed with admiration.

"Go now, before you lose them. Those two have a tough fight ahead, and it's no use if one of the school's best players isn't with them to help them."

Jordan stood up. She wanted to kiss him, but she was too scared to risk taking a bey to the face mid-way.

Dogs were barking across the neighbourhood. Tyler ran at Alonso as Jordan turned and bolted the other way.

The seven beybladers criss-crossed every street. Soon, they were so far away from the chaos that the shouting was just a distant echo.

Less houses appeared along the kerb. The road was sloping upward. A dark region of trees loomed ahead. Corina knew that was where Nemo was heading.

The hooded group bolted across a bridge that shadowed a river. One of the hooded figures looked over his shoulder.

"They're way behind," he said, smugly.

"Yeah, we'll lose them as soon as we get into the woods!" another figure said.

"Should I stay behind? Make sure you get a decent head-start in there?"

Nemo gritted her teeth and looked over her shoulder.

"Yeah, stop them catching up." She said, in between breaths.

"Gotcha'."

The hooded figure who'd spoken had stopped. The rest of them ran ahead.

Corina and Maxie pelted onto the bridge. The figure was easily camouflaged by the darkness, so they didn't see him.

Suddenly, a launcher sounded.

Corina broke to a halt just as a bey shot at her face.

"NO – "

"WATCH OUT!"

Corina closed her eyes, waiting for the blow, but there was none.

Bubblez sprung between them, and took the attack. Both her and the hooded figure's bey fell back to the wooden boards of the bridge.

"Jordan!" Corina exclaimed, with delight.

Jordan walked up to them, panting from the run.

"Keep going!" She shouted. "I'll take care of THIS chump!"

"Corina, are you alright?!" Ashley yelled, also catching up to them.

"No time to talk now!" Corina replied, urgently.

She and Maxie scuttled off. Ashley made to follow them.

The hooded figure stuck his arm out, but Bubblez sprung up again. He backed away to avoid it, and his hood slipped off his head. Corina could see a guitar case strung across his back by the overhead light.

"That's Bakito!" Ashley said, "be careful, he knows what he's doing!"

Bakito hissed and his bey went for Corina again, but Bubblez sprung up again and blocked it. Both beys flew over the edge of the bridge and out of sight.

"Don't underestimate me!" cried Jordan.

Corina, Maxie and Ashley disappeared into the woods. Jordan breathed heavily as she faced her opponent.

Bakito sneered and looked over the barrier. The beys had landed on a lily pad below them.

He carefully unzipped the guitar case on his back. Jordan watched as he strapped it over his shoulders and started playing, softly.

Below them, his bey seemed to spin more quickly. Jordan watched it.

"This is one of Nemo's bladers," she said to herself, "he must have a trick or two up his sleeve!"

"Here, let me play you a tune," Bakito said, sweetly. "All for you, blondie."

He plucked a series of chords through his guitar. His bey picked up speed and circled the edge of the lily pad, then slammed into Bubblez.

"No!"

Bubblez went flying, and landed on another lily pad.

Bakito laughed. He played a few more chords, and his bey jumped over to join Bubblez on the lily pad, continuing to circle it.

"My bey responds to the music." He said, "It has strings attached to it, which resonate with my guitar playing."

Jordan assumed a battle stance she'd been practicing.

"ATTACK!" she screamed.

Bakito played another chord. Bubblez bounced into the air and came down at his bey, but it simply moved out of the way.

"ATTACK! Come on! GO!"

Attack after attack, but each one missed. Bakito sneered and played a diminished-sounding chord. His bey slammed into hers, and it barely scraped the edge of the lily pad this time.

"Pathetic," he hissed.

"There must be some way to beat him…" Jordan muttered. She watched the two beys circle each other below.

And then she had an idea.

She tapped one foot quietly on the wooden bridge, conducting a pulse. She closed her eyes and visualised a pair of pom-poms appearing in her hands.

"What's wrong?" Bakito asked her. "Have you figured out you're far too weak to battle me, blondie? Let me play you a sad melody for your trouble…"

He strung his guitar more loudly. His bey circled the edge of the lily pad at top speed.

"JUMP!" Jordan stamped her foot.

Bakito's bey came at her bey again, but it bounced out of the way.

"That's it!" She said, triumphantly. "You attack every other verse line on the second beat!"

His eyes widened. "You've been educated in music theory?"

"I've been cheerleading since I was a little girl!" squealed Jordan. "I know all about rhythm!"

Bakito strung another diminished chord, but Bubblez dodged his bey again; Jordan recognised the sound of it.

"This blonde is tougher than you think!" she hollered. "Final attack!"

Bubblez bounced into the air and plummeted down again. Jordan kept tapping her foot, watching Bakito's bey circle the lily pad, predicting where it was going to go next –

"No!" wailed Bakito. He pulled his guitar off his shoulder and dropped it.

Bubblez had smashed into his bey, and there was a sickening sound of strings breaking under the strain of the attack. It flew uselessly into the water and Bakito dived in after it

Jordan reached out and Bubblez returned to her hand. She pocketed it with a stupid smile, watching the boy.

"That was a smash hit." She said. "One down, three to go."

And she ran off into the woods, after her friends.


	6. Chapter 6 - Blading up the Wrong Tree

**Chapter 6** **– Blading up the Wrong Tree**

Back at Gaia, there was more shouting and grinding of beyblades in the street. Broken parts littered the road. Megan was battling Jodie, Shelby and another cheerleader. Alonso was battling Tyler. Leon was locked in a fight with two other male sports players, whilst Jessica and Maxie's friend, Dana, were trying to get Johnny off the roof of the car whilst avoiding the stream of beyblades he sent down upon them.

Tyler's orange bey was struggling as Alonso was continuously launching more at his. He cursed and ran at Alonso, and pinned him to the same car.

Johnny grabbed another bey and shot it at Dana. She launched her own red bey to block it, and Jessica launched hers at him. He slid to the right and it flew past. There was a sound of breaking glass behind him. A burglar alarm sounded and house lights across the street flickered on.

Johnny cursed under his breath. "How many beyblades do you have left, Al? I say we just fire off the last ones and split!"

"I don't have any left," Alonso struggling with Tyler's arms.

"Why are we bothering with these spinning tops? Nemo got away, now let's follow her example before the police show up!" cried Megan.

"I agree. We've done our job," said Johnny, "Nemo can handle the rest of the stowaways."

Alonso flung Tyler from him and started to run. He kicked beys out of the way as he went, and Megan and Leon followed.

Johnny launched his last bey at Dana and then slid off the roof of the car. Jessica was waiting for him. She rolled out from behind the car and launched her bey.

It struck him in the back of the head as he was walking. He gasped and landed flat on the road.

"Got him!" Jessica said, happily, but she was quickly forced to duck as Johnny launched a bey at her face. It missed and the bey slashed the car's back light.

"Come on, Johnny!" Alonso yelled at him. "Leave it, we have to go!"

But he didn't listen. Jessica ran out from behind the car and he launched another bey at her, but it missed and flew into an old person's garden. It hit a garden gnome's head and caused it to fall from its body.

"Johnny!" screamed Megan.

"Hold on a minute!" Johnny growled at her, attaching another bey from the ground to his launcher. He pinned Jodie to the ground with his foot, and launched it at her face; she pried herself free and the bey grinded the space where her neck had been, making sparks fly.

Johnny turned around. He was face-to-face with Tyler and his friends.

"Get out of my way." He said, voice filled with malice, "or that garden gnome could be you."

The woods were pitch black and eerie. Ashley stumbled after Corina and Maxie, feeling twigs snap beneath her feet. They were catching up to Nemo and her friends. One of them seemed to be struggling in the thickset of trees.

"Rats!" the hooded figure said. "I can't see anything!"

"Keep up!" Nemo said. "Or at least fend them off!"

The shortest hooded figure undid his hood. He moved easily between the trees, his eyes good with the dark.

"There's still three left. I can handle them, if you want," he said, brightly.

"Make sure none of them get past," Nemo told him. He nodded and stopped running. Nemo and the third hooded figure ran ahead.

Corina and Maxie came to a small clearing. The woods from thereon were so thick, they couldn't even see Nemo's outline against the horizon in the moonlit sky.

"What should we do?" Corina muttered. Ashley bent down and picked up a pair of sticks.

She rubbed them together furiously, until she heard cracks and they started glowing. A fire started at their tips, casting long shadows along the clearing.

"I've got it!" She said.

"Good work!"

Ashley looked up, and shrieked, "WATCH OUT!"

Corina and Maxie dived to the side just in time. A yellow bey narrowly missed them from above and landed on a patch of grass.

A short, hooded figure sat on one of the branches. His legs hung over the edge of the branch.

Maxie gasped; she recognised the boy in the light of the fire. He had a round, blond face. He looked very young, barely old enough to be in high school.

"James," she uttered, furiously. "He's in my year."

"You can call me Jamzy, my nickname," he added, waving sarcastically.

His yellow bey seemed to fly up, and reached his palm.

"How did he do that?" Corina whispered. "Does he have a spring on his bey, like Jordan?"

"No," replied Ashley. "That didn't bounce. It's like his bey can fly."

"You two go on ahead," said Maxie. "I'll take care of him."

"Take this," Ashley said, handing Maxie a burning stick. She took it and stabbed it into the ground, anchoring it in place.

Ashley and Corina disappeared into the trees. Jamzy cursed and watched them go.

"Sorry, Nemo," he said aloud. "I couldn't stop them all… but it's no big deal…"

He turned back to Maxie. "The more of us you battle, the harder we get. I'm a better beyblader than Bakito, and the other two are better than me."

He smirked and allowed his bey to plummet back down, toward Maxie.

"… But I'm still good enough for you."

This time, Maxie was ready. She whipped out Leonine and launched it in defence.

The two beys met mid-air and grinded against each other. They landed on the ground.

"Attack him!" Maxie said, "Shred him! Don't stop!"

Leonine circled his bey and attacked it, repeatedly. Jamzy's eyes widened. His bey couldn't keep up and it was forced against the tree

Jamzy raised his hand, and his bey instantly flew up again, avoiding Leonine's next attack. The red bey bounced upon the tree trunk below him.

"What the – you damned cheater!" hollered Maxie.

The yellow bey was encompassed by the dark, and by the time it had fallen again, it was too late for Leonine to dodge and it slammed into it.

The two beys circled each other, but Jamzy's struck Leonine away whilst occasionally flying out of the way to avoid her attacks.

Leonine swerved around his and came at it from behind. Jamzy moved his hand again and it took to the air to dodge.

"How am I gonna win this," muttered Maxie. A trickle of sweat ran down her palm as she heard Jamzy's bey descend again, spinning ferociously…

Johnny stood face-to-face with Tyler and his two friends.

"Get out of my way," he said. He saw Dana, Jodie and Jessica over their shoulders.

"Are you happy now, man?" Tyler asked. "Nemo's about to do something reckless and stupid again, just like the time she dressed up as me."

"I said, move."

"Why don't you redeem yourself?" Dana shouted. "Tell us where she's going!"

"What the hell's going on here?!"

One of the residents on the street had hurried out into their front garden in a dressing gown.

Tyler and his friends' heads were turned. Johnny took this advantage and threw himself at them.

"ARGH!"

Johnny burst past them. Jodie and Dana pleaded with him as he shoved them aside. Johnny picked up a loose bey on the ground and launched it ahead of him, panting.

"You – get back here, now!" The neighbour shouted. "I'm sure the police would be very interested to hear you out when they get here!"

Jodie re-launched her bey in desperation, but his bey simply pushed hers back. He grinned and walked forward, watching his bey press hers against the tyre of another nearby car, which slowly began to deflate.

"I get why Nemo loves this sport now," he said, hungrily, "beating stupid kids in this unsafe fashion is so much fun."

Tyler and his friends ran at him, but he picked up more beys and launched them, making the three boys scatter.

Johnny was about to resume his plight, when he felt something tug at his leg and he toppled over, again.

Shelby sprung up from the ground. Her hands were on Johnny's legs and she struggled to hold him still.

"Is getting caught fun too?!" she squealed, gleefully.

"Shelby?" Johnny gasped. She pointed to the two beys at the car tyre.

He could see it was not Jodie's bey at all: it was Shelby's, although they were a similar shade of yellow, and it was his own, not hers, pinned to the car tyre.

"Beyblading is like tennis!" Shelby panted. "Just like you have to keep your eye on the ball, you have to keep your eye on the bey or you'll lose!"

"Good work, Shelby!" Dana said, appearing beside her. "And I can hear the police sirens getting louder! Apparently, they've arrested Alonso, Megan and Leon a few streets away!"

Jordan hurtled through the woods, gasping for breath. She thought she saw a dim orange light ahead. She followed it to the clearing, and saw Maxie and Leonine.

"Maxie!" she wailed. "Above you! Look out!"

Maxie looked up, teeth clenched together. Leonine wasn't quick enough, and got struck by the yellow bey.

Leonine went flying past her ear and hit a tree behind her. The yellow bey swerved past to pin Leonine to the tree.

"What are you doing?!" squealed Jordan. "Fight back!"

Maxie felt her hands ball into fists.

Jamzy's eyes widened as he observed the battle below him; Leonine had forced his bey back again, but with a simple twitch of his hand, he made it dodge the rest of her attack. Now, Leonine was starting to wobble on the verge of defeat.

"One more dive bomb will finish her," he said, brightly. He watched his bey rise before him, temporarily suspended in the air, and then descend, accelerating hard to the ground.

Maxie watched it come. Her bey was almost out of spin. It couldn't dodge.

"Quick! Maxie!"

The scenery around her had dissolved into darkness. Instead, it was Nemo, not the trees, towering over her.

"Get up, weakling." She said, coldly.

Her Dromeda bey was spinning confidently in front of her. Maxie's Leonine had stopped.

Nemo looked down at her. "You think you're helping me practice? You're just being pathetic… this is why you're the wimp of the family…"

Maxie felt herself draw long, angry breaths. She watched the various images of defeat she'd succumbed to over the years, her trademark Leonine bey, red like her fiery spirit, lying flat on the ground in each one.

Then she heard a booming audience. Nemo was standing over her once more, and as the faces over her shoulder grew clearer, Maxie recognised them as her friends', of Johnny's, Megan's and Alonso's. She was at the Gaia city sports hall, competing for a position on the beyblading team.

"No," she moaned, hoarsely, "Stop it…"

"MAXIE!"

Maxie shook the thoughts away and saw the yellow bey plummeting fast at her own.

"Let it hit you," she whispered, ignoring Jordan's high-pitched protests.

The yellow bey landed on top of Leonine with a sickening thud. Leonine had barely endured it, and was still spinning, no matter how little.

Maxie closed her eyes and concentrated. The next time she opened them, the Jamzy's bey was still glued to Leonine, which spun weakly beside the flaming stick she had anchored into the ground.

She smirked.

"I must admit, I underestimated you," Jamzy called to them from his tree. "Nobody's ever survived so many of my special attacks… you've got spunk, I'll give you that. But this really is the last one. If you don't forfeit, your bey will be crushed."

He twitched his palm, awaiting his bey to rise into the air.

But nothing happened.

"What gives?" he gasped.

Jordan's eyes and mouth widened. She stood, frozen. Maxie's smirk now so resembled Nemo's.

A piece of thread billowed uselessly in the wind, a barely visible silver in the light of the moon. Jamzy quickly realised what had happened.

"I figured it out ages ago," said Maxie, "your bey's attached to your hand by a thread. Whenever you pull it, it goes up and down like a yo-yo. I made it go near the fire to break the thread."

Leonine, with the last of its spin, came at Jamzy's bey. He was still too shocked to register another move, and his bey flopped onto the ground and stopped spinning just before Leonine did the same.

"You did it!" Jordan squealed. "Go Maxie!"

Jamzy jumped down to meet them. He was smiling.

"That was the most amazing battle I've ever fought! And Nemo said you were no good… go on ahead, guys, you both deserve it."

"Thanks, man," said Maxie, picking up her bey and the burning stick. Jamzy watched her go, Jordan at her side.

"But be warned!" He called after them. "Your sister won't agree to return to the city so easily! If you really want her back, you'll have to – "

"I WON!" He heard Maxie chant in the distance. "I'm the best beyblader in the world! Watch out Nemo, I'm gonna' spank you!"

Corina and Ashley were far ahead, and slowly gaining on the two remaining hooded figures. One of whom, they knew, was Nemo.

Nemo turned around, glaring at her partner.

"If you're not going to keep up, stay behind and slow them down!" she yelled.

"No, I can't leave you!" he told her. "I'm the only bodyguard left! I'll protect ya' from any harm – "

"Shut up, I can handle myself fine without you now! I just need a diversion!"

She turned around and pushed him, forcefully. He pulled himself to his feet and grinned beneath his hood.

"Hey, if it's what you want, babe, I'll do it."

"And don't call me that." Nemo snapped.

"There they are!"

Ashley and Corina were catching up. Nemo turned and fled. The hooded figure that remained turned around, and slowly walked out to meet them.

Corina and Ashley sped into a small clearing. They found themselves in front of a tall, wooden tower, which vaguely resembled the bell tower in Gaia. Ashley darted to the right, panting.

"Come on, Corina! One of them's stayed behind!"

Corina turned. She'd been fixated on the tower.

"Oh… Nemo?" She asked, walking forward.

The figure smiled at them, his eyes hidden by the hood. He stood before a flowing river with a miniature waterfall created by the uneven land. Large rocks were embedded in the river like stepping stones.

"Sorry ladies, but the game is up," he said, "I can't let you go by. Nemo's orders."

"If you were really her friend, you'd realise we're trying to help her!" Ashley said. "Nemo can't leave the city, she'll be caught and put in so much trouble!"

"Well, I'm not exactly her friend anyway," the figure sneered, "her future BOY-friend, maybe. But what you say's bogus… she can do whatever the hell she wants, so just back off, Ash."

"H-how do you know my name?"

"Okay, who are you?" Corina asked, frowning. "Your voice sounds familiar."

The figure slowly pulled the hood off. His messy ginger hair protruded from his head.

"Josh…"

"Me."

"I thought you were on the boys' basketball team."

"Was." He replied.

"Do you think you're going to run off and be happy together with Nemo?" Ashley asked. "Is that why you're doing this? Because it won't happen, and I bet she didn't even promise you that."

"Yeah," Corina chipped in, "you're the guy she gets annoyed with a lot."

He pulled out his bey and launcher. Corina retrieved her own.

"All you need to know is you're not going any further," he said, snidely. "I'm even better than the two guys back there, Bakito and Jamzy, and it doesn't look like your friends have beaten them. If you wanna' turn around and forget the so-called 'rescue mission', I won't blame you."

He paused and continued, "but real gentlemen stay true to their morals. If you beat me, you can go past, if not, you split. Got it?"

"What makes you so confident?" Corina asked.

"Nemo chose me for the team," Josh said, almost hungrily, "I like my chances. You ready to go, tourney girl?"

"I won that tournament, you know!"

"Even if I chase Nemo now, I know I can't do anything," Ashley said. "Come on, Corina, hurry up and beat him. He's weak really, and I know you can take him."

"Let it rip!" they cried simultaneously.

They pulled their rip cords. Corina's Pegani bey and Josh's green one flew at each other, over the bank of the river…


	7. Chapter 7 - The Dark Horse

**Chapter 7** **– The Dark Horse**

Corina's bey met Josh's mid-air. They slammed into each other and fell onto the rock below, lapping its surface.

Around the fighting beys, the river had a fair current and the miniature waterfall kicked up foam.

"I dunno' what his strategy will be," Corina said to herself, "but if I land in the water, it's over. Okay, better keep an eye on him."

"What's wrong, tourney girl? Too scared to make a move?"

"Stop talking while I'm concentrating, man!"

Pegani edged carefully towards Josh's bey and pushed it to the edge of the rock, and then launched a fast attack to fling it into the river.

Josh simply smiled. Corina's eyes widened; her Pegani had met its target, but bounced off, harmlessly, as if it were feather-light compared to Josh's bey.

"What?"

Pegani wobbled on the edge of the rock, and quickly moved back to the centre. It came in for the attack again, but Josh's bey jerked forwards and batted it harmlessly away again.

"Like my moves, shorty?"

Corina frowned. Not even Nemo's bey was this sturdy. There was something wrong.

She looked closer at the two beys as they paced the rock again. She noticed an uneven white strip coated around the edge of Josh's attack ring.

"Gum?"

Ashley stepped forwards, her mouth ajar in surprise.

"You put CHEWING GUM on your beyblade?"

"You betcha'. Joshy boy never runs out of ideas to cause trouble," he grinned, his hands clasped behind his back.

"That's so unfair!" said Ashley, "That would never be allowed in a real tournament! Real gentlemen know to abide by the rules."

"Stop trying to be such a smart-alec all the time," he said, yawning disrespectfully. "If there's a way to win, it's yours to use or miss out on."

"Stop the battle!" cried Ashley.

"Zip it, Ash." Corina said, "it's okay, I know I can beat him."

"But – "

"Gum doesn't make him invincible. It just makes a mess."

But Corina knew she had to come up with a plan fast, or indeed, her bey would stop spinning long before his would.

Josh sneered at her.

"At least that's one thing you have in common with Nemo. You've got guts." He said.

Corina looked down at the rock. Pegani continued to attack his bey, but continued to bounce harmlessly away as the gum shielded her opponent from the blows.

Maxie and Jordan burst into the clearing.

"They're over there!" shouted Maxie.

"Corina!"

"Maxie! Jordan!" Ashley shouted. She looked worried. "Did you beat them?"

Jordan rolled her eyes and Maxie jabbed a thumb into her chest.

"Easily!" she said. "Or else we wouldn't be here!"

"Well done, I'm so proud of you both!" Ashley said, fondly. She turned to the beybattle by the river. "There's just one more henchman left!"

"Shoot," said Josh, "the others failed. But I've got enough ammo to beat all of you, so let's get started."

His bey broke the circle they were making and started pushing Pegani's away. It tried to defend, but was cast aside by the bulging wad of gum.

"Come on, Corina, is that all you're made of?!" Maxie goaded her.

"Shut up, okay? He's got gum all along his attack ring, that's how he's countering my attacks!"

Josh's bey slammed into Pegani more forcefully, and it was catapulted from the rock; it narrowly landed on a neighbouring one nearer the waterfall.

"Got lucky, huh?" Josh said, "This time you won't. Watch how a REAL man on Nemo's team fights!"

His green bey scaled the gap between the two rocks and landed beside Pegani, and subsequently pushed it further off the face of the rock. The foam of the waterfall rained down upon them.

"Almost," Josh said, his eyes widening in glee. "Almost… there…"

"Do something!" Jordan wailed.

Corina shook her head and stood still. She watched closely through the cloud of foam. Please hold on, she thought, desperately.

Slowly, the gum shield around Josh's bey started to dissipate.

The foam was washing the gum away. Josh's grin melted into nothingness as he watched the shield liquefy into a white, dripping mass.

"What the – hold on – "

"The gum's gone," Ashley pointed out.

"Yep," Corina said, grinning.

"You made your bey go near the waterfall on purpose!" Josh said, angrily. "You cheating little – "

Corina laughed as he rocked from foot to foot, pointing and making indignant faces. "That's called having a back-up plan, Joshy. Now, watch how a blader on Team Corina fights!"

His bey made to move, but it slipped and skidded on the wet rock. Pegani swerved around it, perfectly balanced, and struck his bey with a blow that sunk it into the river.

The noise of the splash was drowned out by Josh's shouting.

Ashley, Maxie and Jordan leapt for joy, and Ashley hugged Corina into her chest.

"You did it!" she squealed.

Corina stole a glance at Josh from her over embrace.

"Once, I was like you." She uttered at him. "I wanted to be on the beyblading team so bad, I tried to act not like myself to get a place on it. The day I won the tournament, I found out what I really wanted to be me, never mind what Nemo thinks. If you keep cheating your way to impressing Nemo, you'll always just be her cushion."

"So, you were there at the bell tower," he whispered, remembering how Nemo had fallen on top of him. He had no other words, so he backed away and fled into the trees without stopping for his bey.

"He'll get over it," Ashley said brightly, and then frowned. "But we have to go, before we lose Nemo for sure."

"Right!" Maxie said. They jumped the rocks and made to run.

"Coming, Corina?"

Corina picked up Pegani, looking troubled.

"Sure."

She followed them into a run. Her Pegani bey glinted dimly by the light of the moon.

That had been a close battle, she thought to herself; too close. Unnoticed by the others, her bey had stopped spinning mere moments after Josh's. Nemo, at her current level, could probably beat Bakito, Jamzy and Josh at the same time with no difficulty.

If she didn't improve, and fast, she didn't stand a chance of beating her older sister.

Nemo stood at the top of the hill, looking out over Gaia. This part of the land was shaven cleanly of wood, unlike its surroundings.

She could see and hear trouble below; shouting and sirens and floodlights springing to life in the heat of the chaotic evening.

"Idiots," she said, out loud. "I was ready for this. I have been for ages. They can't stop me."

On the other side of the hill, somewhere in the beyond, was the city of Clow; and that's where she intended to go.

She could have stayed there all night, enjoying the scene she'd created, but she knew she had to get far away from the city before the police could catch her.

"It's not like any of them would've beaten me for real, anyway." She said, turning around.

"You're wrong."

Nemo whipped around. Corina was panting up the hill, with Ashley, Maxie and Jordan close on her tail. The former two carried flaming sticks to light their path.

"You!" Maxie screeched at Nemo, pointing. "Took my bey parts and gave them to your friends! Most of those were mine, not yours!"

"That's right," said Nemo, "you need them since your bey breaks apart every minute. Nearly as much as Corina's."

"Corina's not the same blader you faced that day in the sports hall, Nemo." said Ashley, quietly. "She's got stronger."

"Yeah, and besides!" hollered Maxie, "We beat the team you raised! You sure picked a bunch of weaklings to be student reps!"

"You underestimated us!" said Jordan.

"Always have done." Agreed Corina.

Nemo glared at them all through the dark.

"Well, I guess Ashley betrayed me and told you guys everything, there's no point hiding it anymore. I'm leaving and not coming back." She said, "if my team really couldn't beat you, they're not worthy to serve me. I'm not going back though. Even if you beat me, I'm not going back to the place I hate just because you don't want me to be happy."

"Nemo, you always told me that you wanted to leave because there was no competition," said Ashley, "well, now it's time you learned that there's competition living under the same roof!"

She thumped Corina's shoulder with her hand.

"That's only about half the reason!" said Nemo, "if you want the rest, just talk to Maxie or Corina, they'll tell you everything about my horrible family!"

"Nemo, please don't do this." Ashley bit her lip. "As your friend, I've got to tell you what I think, and I think – "

"Stop, Ash."

Corina gazed into her sister's face.

"We're going to battle and finish what was meant to happen at the tournament." She said.

"Never!" shouted Nemo, "just so you can try and make me stay? You've always been our daddy's little peanut, always doing what he and mummy want all the time! That's why you're doing this!"

"This isn't about what they want," mumbled Corina. She looked down. "This is different… why I'm doing this."

"Then why?"

Corina paused. Everyone listened intently, awaiting her answer.

"Before your battle on the bell tower," she began, "pretty much everyone in Gaia thought beyblading was a waste of time. After you battled that nerd, Elmo, you showed people that it was more than that. It's a craft. It's thanks to you that beyblading has its own student team for the inter-school sports event."

"So?"

"So," continued Corina, "you're ruining everything you started! I wanted to join the team when I got to the high school, but imagine what will happen to it if the headmaster finds out how you abused your rep rights and used beyblades like weapons for your illegal scheme! Beyblades could even be made illegal! I can't let you do this, this game has bought me close to so many people, including Ashley."

Nemo shot filthy looks at Ashley and Maxie. "I suppose you endorse all this too, do you?"

"I hadn't even thought about that," Ashley admitted, "but for me, the reason I don't want you to leave is because it's dangerous and I just can't let you do this to yourself, Nemo."

"Believe me, I don't care about the team OR you staying! I just want compensation for all the parts you stole!" Maxie retorted, in her booming voice.

Nemo turned back to Corina, a smirk playing on her face.

"Whatever, I never even really cared about that. I play beyblade because I enjoy it. I don't care what people think of beyblading or if it's considered a real sport or whatever."

"Well, I do," said Corina. "So here's the deal. We battle right here. If I win, you stay and represent beyblading for Gaia city and set a good example so I can join the team when I'm older."

"Fine. But if I win, I'm going. It's that simple."

They found a large, circular dip in the ground near them in the hillside to use as their arena. Nemo dropped her two rucksacks beside her. Then they pulled their launchers out.

"Both players ready?" Ashley said, nervously. "Three, two, one…"

"Let it rip!" Nemo and Corina cried, together.

They tugged on their rip cords. In a flash of purple and orange, Pegani and Dromeda flew at each other and clashed in mid-air, making sparks fly. They stayed airborne for a full five seconds before landing.

"Ashley looks nervous," Maxie thought to herself. "Like she doesn't think Corina can win any more."

"Come on, Corina, you can do it! Go!" Jordan squealed. Then she turned to Maxie and whispered, "Corina's is the purple one, right?"

"I'm not wasting time with you, the police are probably after me," said Nemo. "Vanishing attack!"

Dromeda promptly disappeared and re-appeared at different intervals, all over the arena, slowly drawing nearer to its target.

"Pull into the edge!" Corina retaliated, and watched her bey narrowly avoid her attack.

Pegani returned to the centre of the arena. Dromeda re-appeared next to it, slamming into it, but it held its ground and sparks flew from either bey.

"Which level am I taking on this time?" Corina asked, sarcastically. "Only Level F1 again?"

"Okay, I admit, you've gotten better." Nemo said. "You even stopped the Vanishing attack this time… but there's still one thing I have that you don't, shrimp."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"Watch and learn."

Nemo's eyes were obscured in shadow. The aura of the battle was changing; Dromeda had adopted a burst of speed and pushed Pegani back, shredding at it more powerfully than before as Nemo waited for it to buckle.

"No," Ashley whispered. "Nemo, you can't."

"Did you say something?" Maxie asked.

Ashley gasped, looking terrified.

"Nemo could be pulling out her secret weapon. I hoped she wouldn't do this."

"Secret weapon?!" asked Jordan.

Ashley turned to Jordan, her eyes wide.

"Haven't you learned anything from your conversations with Corina in the park?"

"Andromeda," Nemo muttered, "vixen storm."

The purple bey suddenly stopped attacking and pulled into the centre of the arena. It began to glow. Pegani circled it closely.

"Corina!" shrieked Ashley. "Get away from that, now!"

Corina heard her and looked down. A funnel of wind burst from the core of Dromeda.

"What the hell's going on?" demanded Maxie.

"I planned to save this up for when I fought Jackie again," said Nemo, "but I guess it wouldn't hurt to give you a taster of my real power. Goodbye, weaklings…"

"Don't call me – oh my!"

Corina was nearly blown off her feet. A small tornado had completely erupted from the tip of Dromeda. Pegani drew to the side, but was whipped up in the wind and pulled slowly back in to the centre of the arena. Dust and leaves from the site of the battle were either scattered or sucked into the funnel.

"Where is this power coming from?!" Maxie cried.

"From an energy storage within the bey itself," whispered Ashley, loudly enough for Corina to hear, "the bit."

Maxie and Jordan stared at her, dumbfounded.

"I wanted to tell you sooner, but Nemo forbade me and I respected her secret," Ashley said, her voice trembling. "Now I know I should've told you straight away before we started this whole 'mission', so we'd of been more prepared."

She took a deep breath and pointed at the tornado.

"She has a bit-beast, the Andromeda bit! That's why she can perform moves like the Vanishing attack that are usually impossible for any ordinary bey!"

"You're kidding!" shouted Maxie.

"No, I'm not!" said Ashley, her eyes full of tears. "Bit-beasts exist and the result is right in front of you! I wanted to keep Nemo's secret, but I also didn't want any of you to get hurt, and now I realise I can't fulfil both those things at once!"

Nemo turned to Ashley with a look of cold horror. Suddenly, a blast of wind exploded from the tornado in her direction. She screamed and was thrown back down the hill, coming to a halt in a dirt patch a little way down.

"Ashley!" cried Corina.

"I'm fine," said Ashley, getting up. "Hang in there, Corina!"

But her words were empty; she knew deep inside that no matter how hard Corina fought, it was impossible for her to beat a bit-beast user without one of her own.

Corina turned back to the arena and saw her bey continuing to get sucked into the storm. She held her ground, trying to resist it…

"When you learn to harness your emotions and transform them into attacks…" Nemo repeated Jackie's words. "That's when you become truly strong… that's what I've done."

She looked at Corina with her dark eyes. She pictured herself ignored and mistreated whilst Corina was pampered, and she was engulfed by anger.

"Vixen storm, full power!" she shouted.

The large funnel expanded and coated either opponent, so that Maxie and Jordan couldn't see either blader.

"Holy moly macaroni!" Maxie shouted over the noise.

"If she keeps this up, we're all going to die!" screamed Jordan, trying to hold her hair flat.

"It's no use!" Ashley called to them. "It's over now! Go back to the woods, both of you, or you could get seriously hurt! I'll stay and make sure Corina's okay – "

Maxie turned to Ashley, her teeth clenched.

"You think we're just gonna' give up after all our efforts?" she hollered back. "We're a team now, we've gotta' stick by each other or we'll fail!"

Nemo laughed derisively at these words.

"That's so lame," she said, "I hate it when people say things like that. Stick by this, idiots!"

Another projected blast of wind, and Maxie and Jordan were thrown off their feet. Pegani was sucked in further to Dromeda, inches away from its destruction.

"I can't…" Corina muttered, hoarsely. She dropped to her knees and gripped the mud for support.

She could almost see the shape of a long, serpentine creature, baring its fangs at her from inside the tornado. The Andromeda bit.

She closed her eyes. The flashbacks of being beaten by Nemo in the forefront of her mind, but she tried to block them –

"You'll never beat me, sweetie," said Nemo, "this attack is nothing compared to what's in store out there… like I said, I'm not even that good, you're just w– "

She stopped mid-sentence. Pegani's tip was glowing with a green light. It had stopped moving, inches from its defeat.

"What the…"

A wave of energy seemed to ripple all around the woodland, and a green bolt of light shot up in the air from the rough location of the tower.

Ashley, Maxie and Jordan watched in awe as the green light shot across the sky and into the arena.

"C-could this be… Pegasus?" Ashley said. "The supposed guardian bit of the woods of Gaia?"

She stood up, brushing herself down.

Standing over Corina, hooves arched like it was protecting her, was the silhouette of a winged horse. It emitted an energy that made Ashley think of nature and the wildlife.

Its big eyes met Corina's.

"P… Pegasus…" she muttered, almost in greeting.

She felt her fists ball up, and then she pointed ahead of her, directly at Nemo.

"Take it from above!"

The winged horse arched its back obediently, and like Corina had done in the sports hall, the bit leapt into the air. It rose high over the storm, her bey floating beneath it.

Down below, Andromeda slithered and hissed as it dived down for the kill. The two bit-beasts reared at each other and collided.

Green and purple surges of light shot in every direction before the entire arena was engulfed by a blinding, white light. Everyone was forced to cover their eyes as they heard the battle cries of the ancient bit-beasts…

After a few seconds, the light dimmed and became nothing. Ashley looked up. The storm had stopped.

"She… won?"

She walked over to the arena. Maxie and Jordan were beside her, equally stunned.

Loose debris was littered all around them. Neither bey was spinning.

Nemo was on her knees, looking horrified. Corina laid next to her defeated Pegani bey, clearly unconscious.

There was a pause.

"It's… it's a tie!" Maxie said, finally. "Neither bey is spinning!"

"She actually tied?" Ashley mumbled. "With… Nemo?"

They waited in shocked silence, as if some kind of explanation would suddenly appear to them from the blue.

"What was that green thing?" whispered Jordan.

"A bit-beast," breathed Ashley, "the Pegasus bit itself. Haven't you heard the rumours, Jordan? It's a spirit that lives in the tower overlooking the forest. I've read about it… it supposedly bestows good fortune to anyone who sees it… it guides lost travellers through the woods…"

"And it went into Corina's bey?" Maxie asked.

"Looks like it," Ashley said.

"Good fortune… maybe it was watching over Corina this whole time!" squealed Jordan, excitedly. "Maybe it decided she was strong enough to be its partner!"

"Maybe, Jordan." Ashley smiled. "But Corina isn't just strong. That's not why Pegasus chose her."

They looked at her, questioningly.

"She's got a big heart."

Jordan shook her head in silent amazement. She was pale.

"What now?"

"I don't know," said Ashley. "There was so much on the line for this battle… they had a deal…"

"If Corina was awake, we could've had a rematch."

"Corina's in no fit state to battle."

"Exactly." Nemo interjected.

She was glaring at them again, speaking in her usual icy tones.

"If you tie, you keep battling until you have a winner," she said, "if Corina can't fight any more, then that means I win by default."

"That's not fair!" said Jordan.

"We never agreed to that!" said Maxie.

"Fine!" Nemo shrieked at them, "we'll call it a tie! Are you done trying to ruin my life?! If I go back to Gaia I lose one of the only things I care about in this world! Be happy, goddamn it!"

"What do you mean?" asked Maxie.

"She means her bit-beast," Ashley said, quietly.

"Duh," Nemo said, "after tonight, our parents will find out about Andromeda one way or another. Corina's only nine, she'll tell daddy everything. My teachers will know about it now, too."

"More like half the city will know," Maxie said, "that was one intense battle."

"Have you ever wondered why our parents only pick on me and not the others?" Nemo snapped at Maxie. "I've had Andromeda since I was little, they've always known there's something unusual about me and they don't like it. They'd never let me keep a bit-beast, they'll do everything they can to stop me using it, they'll take away my bey if they have to!"

Ashley opened her mouth to speak, but then she caught Maxie's eye and fell silent.

"She's right," Maxie muttered. "You don't know our parents."

"I'm not saying it again," Nemo said, moodily, "I'm not going back. It's not fair, Corina didn't exactly beat me, so why should I?"

Jordan gazed into the night sky. The reflection of the stars twinkled in her eyes.

"Maybe… there's another way of settling this." She said, dreamily. "Maybe we can keep both sides of the deal somehow. That way everyone's happy."

"That's impossible," said Nemo, dismissively. "The deal was that if I won, I could leave the city. If Corina won, I would stay and represent beyblading for the school team."

Jordan walked a little way up the hill, her eyes transfixed on the stars.

"Then it's settled," she said. "You leave the city, but you still have to represent the school at the inter-school sports day in August. The four of us are now officially your team, and our mission is to make people realise that beyblading isn't just a game."

There was an awkward pause. Nemo recovered first.

"That's the stupidest thing I've EVER heard!" she spluttered.

"It's the only fair thing to do." Maxie agreed, quietly. "You're the leader of the team, and we're now your student reps. We're gonna' battle with you at sports day and make sure beyblading is kept as an inter-school competition like Corina wanted. Who's with me?"

"You can count me in!" Jordan said, cheerfully.

"Ash," Nemo said, turning to her best friend, "please tell them how stupid their idea is."

"I don't think it's stupid," Ashley said. "I… I think it's the only fair way to meet the deal."

Maxie grinned. Jordan clapped her hands together delightedly.

"But that means you'll miss school!" Nemo snapped, "you never shut up about the importance of school!"

"We won't be a team forever, only until the sporting event is over and done with," Ashley replied, shrugging. "Besides, I'm so far ahead than the rest of the class in my studies, I won't miss anything."

Nemo looked at each of them, her arms hanging limply in front of her.

"Someone tell me this is a dream," she said. "Okay, say I agree to this stupid plan. We CAN'T represent beyblading away from the city. We'd be on the run from the police and our whole families. We can't just show up at the sports event and compete as if nothing happened. We'll be caught."

"Who said we have to represent Gaia?" Maxie asked.

"We can disguise ourselves as another competing team!" Jordan piped up, "like you once disguised yourself as Tyler."

"They don't have to find out it's you, we just have to battle the best we can and show the nation why beyblading should be considered a real sport!" Maxie said. "That way you're sticking to your side of the bargain!"

"'Battle at the inter-school sports event and set a good example so Corina can join the team when she's older'!" recited Jordan.

Nemo turned to face Ashley, ready to share the looks they made whenever someone came out with something preposterous like this. Ashley didn't return the look, however.

"There's something in that." She said, thoughtfully.

"Okay then," Nemo ploughed on, "how do you know beyblading will be kept as one of the competitions? Heck, when the headmaster finds out what happened, he'll probably disband the team like Corina said."

"Nemo, if it happens, it's going to happen!" Jordan said, "the important thing is we TRY, you silly!"

"Well said, Jordan." Ashley smiled over at her.

"You guys need help, this plan is never going to work." Nemo groaned.

She toppled backward onto the glass and held her bey up to the stars as she contemplated the ordeal.

When she was certain she couldn't find any more loopholes in the plan, Nemo got to her feet, looking defeated.

"How long will it take you to pack?" she asked.

"Not long," Maxie said, quickly. "How much do we need?"

"Well, I've got a tent and food," Nemo said, "enough to last us until we get to Clow. Hardly anyone I know has heard of it, so we're safe there."

"Right," Ashley nodded, turning to Maxie and Jordan. "We need to be careful when we're packing, if our parents catch us, we're done for. It's a long way down to the city, but if we hurry we should be back here in two hours."

"Should I pack for Corina?" asked Maxie.

"I was getting round to that," said Ashley, giving her dear friend a worried look. "Personally, I don't think we can drag Corina along with us. We have no idea when she'll wake up, or if she even wants to come."

"She won't," said Nemo, "she hates being away from our parents."

"Mami will kill us if we take her with us." Maxie nodded.

Ashley knelt down beside the unconscious Corina.

"You've proven yourself beyond my expectations tonight, Corina," she whispered, reassuringly. "Thank you for everything. I'm sorry we're just leaving you like this, but I'm sure you'll understand that it's in the name of beyblading, like you wanted. One day you'll get your wish and become the lead student rep of the sport, and much, much more."

"Ash, we've gotta' go," Maxie said anxiously, looking into the distance. "I think I can hear police sirens, they're probably all over the city. We need to get our stuff before they tell our parents we're gone."

"You're right," Ashley said, standing up. "We'll be as quick as we can, Nemo."

She stole one last glance at her friend before they took the long detour down into Gaia.

It was still dark, so they had to use burning sticks to light their path through the woods again. Once they were in the city, they moved along small alleys to not attract attention. All of them knew where a spare house key was kept, so they were all able to enter their respective homes unnoticed, and miraculously, each of them left again without waking their parents.

It took just over an hour before they were climbing the winding path back up the hill. Nemo had procured student rep badges for each of them. Corina was stirring, but she was groggy and incoherent. Jordan had bought an extra blanket, so they threw it over her and let her sleep. Then they waited in silence.

By the hint of sunrise, they saw torches in the distance and policemen trekking up the hill. They knew Corina was safe, so they buckled their things and went quickly, into a realm of uncertainty.


	8. Chapter 8 - Bladers in the Woods

**Chapter 8** **– Bladers in the Woods** _  
_

Jackie stood outside the gates to Bishop Otter school, in the middle of a vast crowd of students.

His home-school teacher was beside him.

"Who are you supposed to be partnered with, then?" Mrs. Williams asked him.

"I don't know." He said.

"You don't know? Why don't you know?"

He turned his head stiffly towards her humungous figure.

"I don't know."

"Do you want me to ask Mr. Lancaster who you're meant to be with, or do you want to ask him yourself?"

"I don't."

Mrs. Williams chortled and pulled her blonde hair out of her face. She bowed down so their eyes met, and she smiled forcibly at him.

"You know, Jackie. If I could wave my magic wand right now and make anything happen – anything at all! – what would it be, and why?"

Jackie blinked at her.

"Um… I – "

"Well, unfortunately, I don't HAVE a magic wand, Jackie." She snapped, straightening up. "So I'm afraid that's completely out of the question. Go and ask Mr. Lancaster who you should be with, please. As I keep telling my colleagues, there's nothing less socially productive for a teenager than sitting in their room playing Pokémon cards, and that's why spending the afternoon with one of the year fives is now a compulsory part of the school curriculum, even for home-schooled people."

And she stormed away, making the ground tremble.

"Pokémon cards?" Jackie mouthed furiously.

The crowd dwindled quickly. Soon, there were just a few people left over.

Slowly, Jackie approached the one remaining, unoccupied Year Fiver. The nine-year-old had dark, braided hair, and a tanned complexion.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"Not telling." Jackie said, bluntly. "What's your name?"

"Not telling either, 'cause I have no idea who you are."

Before he could reply, she hopped to her feet and waved in someone's direction.

"Sir, I don't think I have a partner."

A teacher hobbled over to them, clipboard at hand and looking irritable.

"Name?" he asked.

"Chantelle Burroughs, sir!" the girl chirped.

The man offered his clipboard a fleeting glance, then looked back up at her.

"Kids these days," he muttered. "Your partner is Mr. Jackie Moon, who, incidentally, is standing right next to you. Enjoy your day."

Jackie's eyes fell to the ground, awkwardly. There was a short pause before Chantelle spoke.

"Oh, now I know who you are. You're my partner today."

"I thought I might be."

"Why didn't you say so?" she asked, brightly. "Hey, wanna' be friends?"

"You can't just ask someone if they want to be friends." Jackie replied. "You gradually become friends with someone… it's a steady process…"

"You're weird," she said, "how old are you, anyway? Which year are you in?"

"I'm thirt –"

"Hey, that teacher guy thought I was joking," she continued, rolling her eyes. "Just to let you know – NOT true! Well, anyway. Now that you mention it… I do have a joke. Wanna' hear it?"

Jackie blinked at her.

"What did the wizard say when he couldn't find his wife?" she asked, "the answer: 'which' way did she go! Haha!"

"Lame. Did you get that one from a comic book?"

"Don't ask." She replied. "You don't like them. Don't get them. Don't buy them. Hey! Where are you going?"

They'd only just met, and Jackie was already exhausted of her. He'd turned away and was strolling in the other direction, hands buried tightly in his hoodie pockets.

The idea of facing an afternoon with a damned nine-year-old was torture enough, but when it came to rapid-talking young girls who didn't give you time to draw breath and answer their incoherent multitude of questions, that was where he drew the line.

"Why aren't you talking? I'm sorry!" Chantelle said, startled. "I know my jokes are kind've dumb. That's what everyone thinks. They think I'm, y'know… stupid?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"Will you stop being so mean already?" she hissed. "I'm not kidding! Every single one of my friends talk behind my back. My friend Darcy said to Molly that I have a stupid laugh. Even my teacher thinks I'm stupid."

She trailed off, and stared at the ground. Jackie spared a backwards glance at her, and his foot dangled in the air mid-step.

A tinge of guilt flushed through him. The other Year Fivers were all off enjoying an afternoon together with their newfound, year-eight friends, and here he was, neglecting her.

A grin crept up his face.

"So, your teacher thinks you're stupid?" he asked. "Wanna' impress your teacher?"

The young girl's face brightened up.

"Yes! Yes, yes!" she said excitedly.

"Alright," he said, "When you next see your teacher, say that – "

"Wait!" she interrupted, looking round. "Don't say yet! There are people listening. Let's go to the ice-cream parlour or something. Then you can tell me!"

And she took his hand and dragged him in the direction of the other pupils, beaming.

The door swung open, making the four teenagers jump.

"You can come through now," said the policeman. One by one, Megan, Johnny, Alonso and Leon followed him through to a large office.

He sat on one end of the desk, and invited them to sit on a sofa facing him. Tyler and his friends were already seated in the corner. They exchanged dirty looks with Johnny as he came into the room.

The policeman noticed this.

"There there, let's try and get along now, shall we?" he sighed, "We just want to clarify a few things, then we'll let you go with a caution. Firstly – "

"Sorry to interrupt, sir," Leon spluttered, "but my parents – I haven't had contact with them since you arrested us last night – can I…?"

"Your parents know you're here, we informed them early this morning," said the policeman. "In fact, all of your parents have been informed of what's happened, as well as the costly repair quota that will have to be divided between each of you."

He shuffled through his notes quickly, looking down.

"… A punctured car tyre, a front headlight, a broken window and an antique garden gnome," he said, solemnly. "Your parents are all very disappointed with you."

"The car tyre wasn't us, it was one of those kids," Johnny mumbled.

"It was dark and we only have very vague accounts of who did what, so the liability will have to be shared," said the policeman. "Getting back to what I was saying. From what I understand, you were part of a defence group that Miss Nemo Perone had organised for herself, correct?"

They nodded.

"We left shortly after the student rep meeting," Megan said. "Nemo didn't think anyone would try to stop her, but she took us along just in case."

"That's when these guys turned up." Alonso said, nodding in Tyler's direction.

"Well, you'll be pleased to know you succeeded," the policeman continued, "the retrieval team we dispatched this morning couldn't find her. We're still looking, but no luck so far… maybe you'll be pleased, maybe you won't, I don't know."

He frowned, and then went on.

"Did Nemo ever tell you why she wanted to run away?"

"Sort've," said Johnny.

"It was a load of different things," Megan elaborated, "she hated school… she hated her family…"

"And yet it seems she ran away with her younger sister, Miss Maxie Perone," the policeman said, "can any of you explain that?"

They shook their heads, and looked genuinely confused.

"In the last two weeks or so she talked about going away to find better beybladers," said Alonso, "beyblades, you know, the things we were fighting with in the street? She was always competitive about that."

The policeman sighed.

"Alright, well, thank you for telling me this. You've been a great help, but let this be a warning that I don't want to hear of behaviour like this – from any of you – again. You're free to go. All of you."

They all stood up and marched toward the automatic doors. Tyler and his friends followed suit.

Megan was the last out. Before she disappeared around the corner, she turned back and asked, "sir, we heard there were others missing – do you know who…?"

"Yes," he replied, "from the looks of it, Miss Jordan Halliday and Miss Ashley Summers are also missing."

He waited until they were gone, then he picked up the phone and called reception.

"You can send them on in."

Mr. and Mrs. Perone were steered through the doors, looking flustered.

The policeman stood up to shake Mr. Perone's hand, but he retreated; the man was hollering.

"Nemo!" he said, "Corina mentioned at dinner – she knew she was going!"

"Nemo – but Maxie too?!" said Mrs. Perone.

"Please have a seat," said the officer, "I understand this is a worrying time for you, but I assure you we're doing our best to return your daughters safely."

He glanced down at his notes.

"Do you know anything more about what happened?" Mrs. Perone asked.

"No more than what I told you on the phone," he replied, "we've asked for at least two recounts from everyone involved. We've got a general summary of what happened in the streets, but nobody knows precisely what happened after the group went up the hill – mostly because none of those involved are here to tell us."

"Our youngest daughter – Corina – "

"… Was out cold from physical exhaustion for the most of the night," he explained, "and unable to tell us quite what happened between the four remaining girls. We've spoken to her."

"She was out cold?" Mr. Perone asked. "She didn't want to talk to us about it in the waiting room. Seemed beside herself."

"It's understandable. She's had a restless night… best not to interrogate her any more until she's ready." The policeman said, sympathetically. "Plenty of bed rest and the day off school, I think."

The couple nodded.

He went on, "your daughter said Nemo was already planning to leave the city. Your other daughter Maxie, along with Ashley and Jordan, weren't. We don't know anything for certain, but we believe that they left to join Nemo."

The couple looked flabbergasted. The policeman shrugged.

"Youths, they like to do everything by themselves." He said, grimly. "Grown-ups are aliens in their minds."

"Did anyone mention where Nemo was going?" Mr. Perone asked.

"No. Unfortunately, we don't have any leads on that yet. Ashley left a note for her parents before she disappeared, but it didn't say anything relevant… just that she would be back in the near future…"

"It's just a shock that everything happened this way…" Mrs. Perone said. "We never would've believed it, really… Nemo's never given us any sign of being unhappy here…"

"Nor as much has Maxie," Mr. Perone said.

The policeman nodded, remorsefully.

"We'll recover them. I've served the police force for thirty years. I have a good feeling about this."

"I don't know how I'm going to explain this to the school," Mrs. Perone said, "Nemo was a student rep. She ran away right after a meeting."

The officer hesitated.

"Actually, we've already done that for you, Mrs. Perone," he said. "We thought it was best to contact the headmaster as quickly as possible. He's got in touch with a specialist group – the Management for the Individual Needs, Demands and Education of Rebellious Schoolchildren – or the MINDERS committee for short."

"They deal with children who aren't coping with school life properly, and getting them back on track," he continued, "they also specialise in assisting the recovery of missing schoolchildren. I know the deputy head for the committee. With my and the headmaster's combined information, and your consent, we can arrange a case be made for your daughter, Nemo. The MINDERS won't just help us return your daughters safely, they'll work closely with Nemo to make sure nothing like this ever happens again."

He gave his clients time to savour this bit of positive news.

Mr. Perone finally replied, "that would be fantastic, officer."

Nearly a hundred miles north of home, Nemo, Maxie, Jordan and Ashley were trudging through a muddy woodland.

"I'm so tired!" Maxie moaned, squatting onto a tree stump. "Can't we stop and eat?"

Nemo rounded on her, furiously.

"We stopped for lunch just three hours ago, idiot," she said, "if you don't like walking, you should've stayed at home."

"Don't be so hard on her, Nemo," said Ashley, "she's never been this far by foot before. Neither have I, to be honest."

"Well, you'd better get used to it," Nemo snapped. "I'm not wasting any more money on bus fares."

Indeed, on Nemo's orders, they'd been up at the crack of dawn, walking non-stop but for two short meals. They'd caught a cab that had taken them a significant way, but Nemo refused to pay the full fare to get them to Clow, worried that she might be cutting too deeply into their remaining change.

"You agreed to come on this journey, now you have to stick to it," Nemo said, "now, get up and follow me."

"I don't think that's possible, Nemo." Ashley replied.

"Why not?"

Ashley pointed simply to one of the trees.

There, slumped against it, was Jordan. Her blonde hair trickled down her shoulders limply. She was staring ahead, looking even more vacant than usual, and mouthing inaudible words.

Nemo walked up to her.

"What's up with her?" she asked. "Is she dehydrated?"

"She's got boy withdrawal," Maxie said, "she hasn't had attention from a boy for over twelve hours. It's really hard for her, you know how preppy she is."

"Boy withdrawal?" asked Ashley, perplexed. "I've never heard of – Nemo, don't kick her!"

Nemo had shoved her foot in Jordan's side, making her topple over, unresponsive.

"She's fine, there's no such thing as boy withdrawal!" she said loudly, "now get up!"

Ashley ran between them, waving her arms.

"Nemo! I really think we should take a break – just a quick one, get an afternoon snack, make sure we've got our directions right – "

"Fine!" Nemo yelled, collapsing onto a tree stump. "Give me the map! And get Jordan some water!"

Maxie and Ashley hurried to follow her instructions. Nemo let her rucksack fall from her shoulders, and stared angrily ahead.

"Here," Ashley said, tossing her a bound up map. Nemo unfolded it.

Maxie pulled open Jordan's mouth and poured bottled water into it. Jordan stared incomprehensively up at her.

"L-Leon…" Jordan mumbled. "Ty-Tyler…"

Maxie patted her back.

"That's okay, you'll be with them soon," she said.

"Okay, where are we on here?" Nemo asked.

"Well, we should be here," Ashley said, pointed to a shaded region of trees on the map. "If we are, then we just need to keep following the path until we get to a road, then follow that and we'll be at Clow."

"Road? I haven't heard any cars." Nemo said.

"Me neither," said Ashley, "also, I don't think we're quite that high up as that yet. I mean, we're higher up than Gaia, but I think we might have detoured too far west on that bus. Which makes me think – "

"– we're lost." Maxie finished her sentence.

Ashley's finger hovered around another shaded patch of trees.

Nemo threw the map down at her feet. She stood up and disappeared into the woods overhead.

There wasn't a road in sight. All around them seemed to be trees, with a path that slanted westerly into a small village.

She cursed. Ashley and the others eventually caught up with her. Maxie was half-dragging Jordan.

"No signs or anything?" Ashley asked.

"There's a village down there," Nemo said. "We can go and ask for directions."

"This is why we should've taken the bus the whole way." Maxie said.

"Zip it, Maxie."

"Don't look at me like that, you're the one who got us lost!" Maxie fired up. "You'd better at least find us somewhere to stay overnight, because I'm not sleeping out in the – "

"Watch out!"

Nemo groped for her launcher and bey. Before Maxie could react, she'd launched Dromeda above their heads.

There was a grinding noise as Dromeda hit an oncoming bey. They slammed off each other, sending Dromeda to the ground. The opposing bey rebounded into the obscurity of the woods.

"What was that?!" cried Maxie.

"It's coming back!" Ashley pointed.

From beneath a clump of bushes, the blue bey shot at them again. This time, they were ready.

Dromeda spun in front of them and took the hit, holding it in place.

A girl a year or two older than them dropped from an overhead tree. She wore a straw hat that covered her eyes, and a bandana.

She held up what looked like a children's water pistol, and spoke in a serious voice: "Beybladers… tell me everything you know about the Perseus bit."

"I've never heard of it," said Nemo.

Relief crossed the girl's face.

"Return, Anguil." she said, and her bey retreated to her hand. "I'm sorry, I'm doing important research. Please stay away from the village. Trust me, it's one place a beyblader wants to avoid."

"What do you mean?" shouted Maxie. "Why did you attack me?"

The girl shook her head. She turned and was gone in the thickset of the trees.

They stared at the place she'd vanished behind for a moment.

"What was that about?" Ashley asked.

"Do I look like I know?" Nemo jibed at her. She grabbed Dromeda and shoved the bey into her pocket. "This is why you gotta' keep your bey on you at all times and not in your bag. Don't expect me to save you again, Maxie."

"I don't need your help!"

"No, please, don't fight!" sighed Ashley.

"How did she know we were beybladers?" asked Maxie.

Nemo shrugged.

"I dunno'," she said, "we must've said something that made her think so. Maybe it was when we were talking about Clow."

"What does Clow have to do with beyblading?"

"Well, in Clow city, a lot of the elders know about bit-beasts and respect them, apparently. That boy – Jackie – told me. That's probably how she knows about bit-beasts, too."

Nemo frowned. An unlikely thought had just occurred to her, but she shook it off.

"Let's go down to the village."

"But that girl said – "

"Who cares what she said?" Nemo said. "We're not staying there, we just need to get directions to Clow. We're going to get there one way or another, and I'd like to see anyone try and stop us."

Jackie and Chantelle stopped at the ice-cream parlour and found a bench to occupy.

"What flavour do you want?" Chantelle asked. "Ice-cream's on me!"

"Vanilla," Jackie said, without interest. Chantelle left him and he surveyed his surroundings. His peers and their Year Five partners were here, all of whom obviously deciding to spend the afternoon the same way.

He wondered what else Chantelle would want to do when she came back. It really was going to be a long afternoon, one he could've spent alone like he preferred. Whilst he was thinking, her voice wafted to his ears from beneath the bench.

"Which flavour did you say you wanted?"

Jackie jumped and looked down. There lay a walky-talky on the ground.

Chantelle appeared behind him, chuckling.

"Mum bought these for me!" she said, "they'll make sure we don't get split up! Isn't that cool?"

She handed him his ice-cream whilst she smeared her face with her chocolate one.

"Now, what were you saying?" She continued, "about impressing my teacher…"

"Do you like history?" Jackie asked.

"It's okay."

"Tell your teacher that the reason Duke William of Normandy won the Battle of Hastings was because he ordered his army to fall back," said Jackie, "he pretended to retreat, Harold Godwinson ordered his army to follow and he fell into the trap."

Chantelle blinked.

"Okay, go over all that again."

"Harold Godwinson's army had a good position at the top of the hill, so Duke William made his army fall back. Godwinson's army went down the hill, and then they lost. You know… the Battle of Hastings? 1066?"

"Whatever," said Chantelle, raising an eyebrow. "You should stop treating me like an idiot. I'm going to be in Year Six in September, and you're going to be in Year Nine. My point is that I won't know as much as you yet because of our ages."

"I don't think you're an idiot," said Jackie, "I think you're most likely clever for your age if you don't think History is boring."

"No, I'm not clever. I'm stupid, like EVERYONE says. Don't expect me to know everything, like you do."

"I don't know everything."

"Why aren't you in school uniform?"

Jackie explained to her that he was home-schooled. She looked fascinated by his response.

"So, what do you want to do when we've finished?" she asked.

"I don't mind, really… as long as it's not Pokémon cards. I hate Pokémon cards."

"We could go to the arcade… there's a new game called Simon's search. It's a game where you jump stone to stone and shoot lasers at the monsters and collect all the sticks…"

"Have you ever tried beyblading?" Jackie interrupted her.

"Well, duh, I have!" she said delightedly. "It's the 'in' thing right now! What about you? I'm the fourth best in my class!"

"I'm the best in the city."

"Knock it off!"

"It's true," said Jackie, smirking. "I started beyblading when I was your age. I won the city tournament last Christmas and nobody's beaten me since then."

"If that's a challenge, I accept it!" Chantelle retorted, pulling out a red bey from her pocket. It was extremely eye-catching, splashed with orange and pink around the attack ring. "Meet Bellfire, my latest bey!"

They walked over to a free stadium and Chantelle's older friends, Rachel and Paula, watched from nearby.

"Who is he?" asked Rachel.

"I don't know," said Paula, "I've never seen him before… must be her Year Eight partner."

"You're right," nodded Rachel, "oh look, they're going to beyblade! C'mon…"

"Oh, hey, Paula! Hey, Rachel!" Chantelle said, lowering her launcher as they approached amidst giggles.

"You're not really going to beyblade Chantelle, are you?" Rachel asked Jackie, rolling her eyes. "She can't even launch right, let alone beat anyone…"

"Can too!" Chantelle piped up, but Paula had stepped in front of her.

"Challenge me instead," she said.

Jackie lowered his launcher, frowning. He didn't like her attitude.

"Chantelle wanted me to show her why I'm the champion… that's why I'm battling her. Wait your turn."

"Okay then," said Chantelle, "I'm ready!"

"On the count of three, then," Jackie said, "One – two – three - "

"Let it rip!"

Jackie's Glaseus bey landed in the centre of the stadium. Chantelle's Bellfire bey swiped the edge of the stadium, bounced off, and hit the ground.

Rachel and Paula burst into a heightened fit of giggles. Chantelle kneeled down to grab her bey, blushing.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, "I admit, I lied. I don't really beyblade much, I just like collecting them."

"See what I mean?" Rachel asked, clicking her tongue and rolling her eyes, "she's so – "

"Shut up." said Jackie, making the two girls jump. He turned to Chantelle. "You just need to train more at this game. Grab your bey."

Chantelle blinked. "Okay…"

Chantelle attached Bellfire to her launcher and stood up. She took her stance and Jackie watched her.

"What you need to do is make sure you're launching at exactly a ninety degree angle from your body," he told her, "then you launch."

Chantelle nodded. She straightened her launcher as best as she could. Jackie helped move her arms so they were arched perfectly against the ground, then took the opposite end of the arena and removed his launcher again.

"One – two – three – let it rip!"

Glaseus and Bellfire both landed in the ring this time. Bellfire had received a considerable speed boost, and slammed into Glaseus, then darted in a circle around the edge of the stadium.

"Wow, oh my god! I'm doing it!" Chantelle jumped for joy. She turned to her two friends. "Bet you can't do this, huh? Look how fast it's going!"

"That was a really good launch," Rachel muttered to Paula. "Is that guy really the champion?"

Paula pulled out her own bey and fondled it, looking at Jackie. A competitive grin crossed her face, but she said nothing.

Bellfire had pinned Glaseus to the side of the arena.

"Alright, Bellfire!" screamed Chantelle. "Time to finish him off!"

Bellfire made one more lap of the ring, then came in with its final attack. Seconds from making contact, though, it faltered and stopped spinning.

"What?!"

"You used up all your energy attacking me on the first hurdle," he said, "if you use all your power too quickly, your bey won't keep up and it'll lose balance."

His Glaseus made a U-turn and returned to his open hand.

Rachel and Paula clapped.

"That was really good, Chantelle." Rachel said, smiling.

"Thanks, you guys, but I know I suck." She replied.

Jackie's back was to her. He looked up at the sky.

"It takes practice and time to get good at this game, just like anything." He said, "I have an idea. I'll help you get better, and then at the end of the day you can battle me and see how much you've improved."

Chantelle picked up Bellfire. Jackie turned around to grin at her.

"You'll do that?" She asked, and grabbed hold of Jackie's arm. He nearly stumbled as she made to drag him away. "Alright, but teach me everything you know, mister! Teach me how to become the champion! And the way you made it return to your hand? Teach me that, too! And…"

Rachel and Paula watched them walk away, smiling. A sweat-drop materialised on Jackie's head as she chaperoned him into what looked like a very long day ahead.


	9. Chapter 9 - Going West

**Chapter 9** **– Going West** _  
_

The four girls stood in front of an open wooden gate, the railings of which towered over them. Beyond it, carved into the hilly terrain that surrounded the village, were houses dotted all across the landscape, built where the land was flat enough to permit them.

"This doesn't look like Clow." Maxie said, disdainfully.

"Directions." Nemo reminded her.

They entered the village, and Ashley consulted her map.

"This looks like it could be Ghoul Valley," Ashley informed them, tracing her finger along the contour of the map. "Have you guys ever heard of this – "

Suddenly, they were startled by a loud barking.

A brown-haired boy about Maxie's age with a straw hat was hurtling up the path, chasing a giant bulldog. Its leash flapped around as the bulldog bounded across the path, growling angrily at them.

"Watch out!" yelled the boy, "get away from him! He's out of control!"

"Step back," ordered Nemo, whipping out her bey. Maxie stared at it.

"What are you – "

"Go, Dromeda!" Nemo said, launching it. It flew at the bulldog, apparently missing; but then it caught the bulldog's leash.

The bulldog's neck was forced backward. It groaned as it slumped into the ground. Dromeda had pinned its leash to the nearest building, stopping it in its tracks. The boy caught up and grabbed the leash before Dromeda stopped spinning.

"Whew, thanks for that. Bad Juno!" said the boy, tugging on the leash. The giant dog was completely dumbfounded.

Nemo picked up her bey. "It's fine."

"Juno's very aggressive. My dad's out working most of the way, so I have to look after him," said the boy, and in a more cheerful voice he continued, "that was a sweet move, you must be a talented beyblader. I owe you one, par'ner."

Maxie folded her arms. "Oh please, I could've done that."

"Shut up, Maxie."

"Do you know where we could get a drink or something?" asked Ashley.

"Sure thing!" said the boy, "I'll lead the way, there's an inn down the road! Name's Stanley, by the way. You're new to the valley, right? I'll show you round, if you want."

Nemo answered first. "No, thanks. We just need a drink and some directions, then we'll go."

The boy grinned at her. He could feel the bulldog getting impatient again, so he tugged on the leash.

"Right… follow me."

The boy led them to an inn a little way into the valley as they each introduced themselves, in turn. He made sure Juno was firmly tied up outside before they went in. He ordered them drinks and they sat at a small, rickety wooden table.

"So, what brings you to Ghoul Valley?" he asked.

"We're lost," replied Ashley. "We're looking for Clow city. We're from further south in Gaia, and we've never been this far up before."

"Clow city? No problem!" said Stanley, grinning. He jabbed a thumb behind his shoulder. "It's just over the hills! It's probably a two hour walk, though. You'll know where you're going, there's a pavilion at the top of the hill. 'At marks the centre between Clow and the valley, 'ere."

"Brilliant!"

"Yeah!" roared Maxie, slamming the table with her fists. It nearly broke on its spindly legs. "Finally! Looks like we were on the right path after all, eh?"

"Why's it called Ghoul Valley? That's a weird name." Nemo asked, thoughtfully.

Stanley looked as if he'd been waiting for someone to ask.

"Well, that's quite a story," he said, quietly. "Nobody really knows, but there's one popular myth goin' about that my dad told me. It's said the village is called Ghoul Valley 'cause the bell tower here is meant ta' be haunted by a ghoul."

"What's a ghoul?" asked Maxie.

"A ghost thing, isn't it…" Ashley looked to Stanley for support.

"'Slike an evil spirit," he replied. "I ain't seen it myself. The last time someone saw it, my dad reckons, was about fifty years ago."

"Oh, please," Nemo said, dismissively, "they don't exist, the people who saw them were just cuckoo. Or your dad just lied to you."

Stanley laughed. Ashley looked embarrassed by her friend's behaviour.

"Nemo! That's a terrible thing to s– " Ashley began.

"Nah, she may be right," said Stanley, "I don't think my dad's lying, 'cause he ain't the make-believe type. But y'know, maybe the people who saw it WERE just cuckoo."

"Can we go to the bell tower later?" Maxie asked, looking excited. "I wanna' see it! I've never seen a ghoul before!"

"Right, I'll show you. But you'll be dis'ppointed." Stanley said, coolly. "Tourists, they flock from all over to come see the suppos'd ghoul 'ere in the bell tower. They bring cameras and all, but none of them have ever seen it."

The waiter returned with their drinks.

"So, are you guys all beybladers, then?" Stanley asked, sipping his coke.

"Not me," said Ashley, smiling, "but the other three are, and they're all really good."

Nemo spat her drink out, and burst into laughter. The inn went silent. Other customers looked round, but she quickly stopped and drank her lemonade quietly.

"Well," grinned Stanley, leaning forward, "well, then, what's your team name?"

"Team name?" Ashley repeated. "Oh, we don't really have a…"

Stanley smacked the table and laughed.

"Don't tell me you don't have a team name!" he jeered. "Y'know, all the teams 'round these parts have names! If you're gonn' stay in Clow, you're gonn' look daft if you don't have a - "

"We'll pass." Nemo interrupted him.

After they'd finished their drinks, Stanley stood up.

"I'll go pay. 'Least I can do for my new friends," he said, apologetically. Nemo knew he was referring to his bulldog.

"That guy has a point," Maxie said, her arms sliding behind her head as she leaned back in her chair. "If we're gonna' be a team, we need a name."

"I agree." nodded Ashley. "How about the Bey Quartet? Since we're a team of four, and that's what a quartet is…"

"Nah," said Maxie, "how about the Blade Rejects? It sounds like us. Got any ideas, Jordan?"

But Jordan was still dribbling absent-mindedly and did not respond.

"We don't need a team name, and those are stupid names, anyway." Nemo said.

"Screw you, Nemo!" shouted Maxie, rising from her chair and pointing a finger at her. "Who made you leader? Leader picks name!"

"How about the Gaia Getaways?" laughed Ashley.

"How about the Gaian Rebels?"

"I don't like those names, and they have nothing to do with beyblading." said Nemo, flatly. Maxie glared at her.

"Okay then," said Maxie, "how about the Rebellion Ripmongers?"

Nemo let out a bark of laughter.

"'Rebellion Ripmongers'? That's even stupider than – "

"I think that's a good name," said Ashley, "Ripmongers for short. It describes how we formed as a team and it also describes our individual interest in beyblading."

"We're only a temporary team," insisted Nemo, "I didn't like the other names but I didn't say I wanted – "

"Right! All in favour of the 'Ripmongers'?" asked Maxie. She and Ashley put their hands up. Nemo kept hers down. Maxie grabbed Jordan's hand and forced it into the air, where it stayed.

Nemo stood up, suddenly furious.

"We are NOT calling ourselves 'Ripmongers'!"

"Three against one. Notion passed, welcome to the Rebellion Ripmongers, everyone!" cheered Maxie.

Nemo's hands balled into fists. She grabbed hold of her glass and eyed Maxie, breathing hard. She had half a mind to throw the thing at her stupid face, when Stanley returned.

"Y'llright?" he asked, looking between them. "Innkeeper says 'e's heard of Gaia. Me, not really, but geography ain't my best subject."

"Or history." Nemo said, thinking of the ghoul. What a stupid myth, she thought.

Jordan's eyes fixated on Stanley. He was rather handsome, she thought to herself… wiping her mouth with her sleeve, she studied the boy and wondered if he was single.

"What's Gaia like, anyways?"

"Don't go there," said Nemo, coyly, "it's a horrible place, that's why we left."

"Do all the beybladers down there have bit-beasts too?" he asked.

Nemo, Maxie and Ashley gaped at him.

"How do you know?!" demanded Maxie, making Stanley laugh.

"Eh, knew Nemo had to be a familiar. The way she controlled her bey… ain't seen nothing like it since… well, I knew she had to be a familiar."

He took off his straw hat and beamed at Nemo, who looked confused.

"Familiar? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Familiar, y'know," said Stanley, "basically means anyone who's got a bit-beast, or vice versa, could mean a bit-beast that belongs to someone. Loads of people roun' these parts know about 'em, but not everyone."

"That's amazing," said Ashley, "we're only a hundred miles further north, but the culture is so different than back in Gaia."

Stanley shrugged. "I don't have one 'meself… I still blade, though. Great game."

Maxie stared at him, then whipped out her red bey and held it up.

"If you're a beyblader, you know what that means!" she said. "I don't have a bit-beast either, so it'll be fair does!"

Stanley laughed. "Yeah, alright. You wanna' play, we'll play. Just don't go too hard on me. I haven't practiced, me girlfriend thinks beyblading is for sad people, y'see."

At the mention of the word 'girlfriend', Jordan felt her heart split into pieces inside her chest and she had soon succumbed back to boy withdrawal.

The park was just outside the inn. It was brimming with young children, but luckily, the bey-stadium was unoccupied.

Stanley took one end, sliding a beige bey onto his launcher.

"Y'ready?" he grinned at Maxie.

"Ready when you are!" Maxie said, pulling out her own.

"Hey, Nemo," Ashley said, "I wonder if they're better beybladers up north."

Suddenly, a bell chimed in the distance, and their immediate area became silent. The children started running in all directions in a panic, and slowly, the park emptied.

Nemo watched them go, frowning.

"Where - ?"

But Stanley had gone wide-eyed. He gazed in the direction the noise was coming from, and swallowed audibly.

"Bandits." He mumbled.

"Bandits? Hey, are you going to battle me, or what?" Maxie demanded.

"Get inside. C'mon, let's get inside!" He said, "We're not 'sposed to be out 'ere! The bandits are coming! It's four in the af'ernoon!"

"Who are the bandits?"

"The Blade Bandits," Stanley said, darkly. "You don't wanna' cross 'em. You wanna' stay indoors when they go by, 'specially if you're a blader. Just trust me on this one."

And he turned and scooted in the direction of the inn.

Ashley grabbed Jordan's hand, looking scared. "I have a bad feeling about this, guys, let's get out of here!"

Maxie cursed and followed them back to the refuge of the inn. Plenty of other kids, including Stanley, were lined up against the windows, their faces white.

"Never late," he murmured, "those bandits… they don't show no mercy. That's why everyone ran for it."

"What do they do to beybladers?" Maxie asked, but Stanley shook his head.

"Just wait 'till they're gone," he muttered, "'slong as we're all inside, we're - "

"Hey, where's Nemo?" asked Ashley.

None of them spoke. They flew to the door and peered out.

Sure enough, Nemo hadn't moved an inch from where they left her. She'd bent down to pick up Maxie's launcher and bey, which she'd abandoned. A distant sound of hooves seemed to be growing louder, coming nearer.

"Idiot," Nemo said, "I told her to keep these with her."

"Nemo, get inside, they're 'ere!" Stanley cried.

"Who is?" Nemo asked, irritably, but her question was quickly answered.

Sneering down at her from the climbing frame were two boys. The taller of the two looked older than her, with dark hair and a matching dark jacket. The other looked about her age, with fair hair and brown eyes. He wore shorts and a shirt with an unbuttoned beige jacket. Even though he was younger, he seemed more intimidating, somehow. They both wore what looked like riding boots.

"Having fun out here?" The younger boy asked, sweetly. "Park is our turf at four o'clock, 'less you wanna' play with us."

"Looks like she does want to play, Owyn," said the older boy, "she's got her bey out 'nd everythin'."

"Well, figures." The younger replied, smirking. "She's out past curfew. 'Course she wants to play… gotta' warn you though, girl: we Blade Bandits play rough."

"Will you stop with the fake cowboy accents already?" said Nemo, so that the younger boy hopped down and walked up to her, baring his teeth.

"So, think you can talk to me like that, do ya'?" he asked. "What makes you so cocky? A blader is a man with guts and a horse… you're no man, you're a stupid little girl."

"First off, a stick horse doesn't count as a real horse," Nemo said, pointing to the pair of models next to the climbing frame that they'd ridden and abandoned there. The two boys looked embarrassed. "Second, this isn't your park, so you can't tell me what to do."

"Ooh, she's sharp," said the older boy.

"She's got attitude," the younger said, "name's Owyn, by the way. That fella up on the climbing frame – he's Scirocco, Sciro for short. You must be new roun' these parts, so we'll give you a chance. Go now, quickly, and you won't have your bey smashed to a million bits."

"Oh, please. I could beat you Texan fanatics any day."

"Wanna' bet on that?" Owyn asked, whipping out his bey. It was silver with a blue core. The attack ring looked deadly sharp.

Scirroco leapt from the climbing frame, removing his own, orange bey. They let their beys twinkle in the Sun, arrogant smirks playing each of their faces as they did so.

Nemo stood her ground, determinedly.

"See those other kids inside?" Owyn said, jolting his head in their direction, "they know not to mess with us. The Blade Bandits don't lose, 'specially not to outcasts. I'll give you one last warning. Get inside, and take that trashy bey with you… or we'll shred it, like everyone else who stood in our way learned."

"This isn't mine," Nemo said, "this is my stupid younger sister's. But yeah, I'll challenge you. Both of you."

Owyn's grin widened. "You've got a match. Scirroco, you first. Beat her quick so I don't have to do any work."

"You've got it."

From the porch, Stanley looked petrified. Ashley and Maxie were beside him.

"No, no," he muttered, "now look what she's gotten herself into. She coulda' just backed off when she had the chance."

But then he heard a low growling noise. He whipped round and saw Maxie, looking, for some reason, absolutely furious.

"They called my bey trashy!" she screamed, "I'll show them!"

And without a backwards glance she charged into the road.

Chantelle dragged Jackie back home and made him construct a new bey of all the parts she had left over under the watchful eyes of her dad, who stood behind Jackie all the while, breaking down his neck like a watchful hawk.

Then, they decided to put her newly modified Bellfire to the test. Chantelle dragged him outside and made him teach her every launching technique he knew, and, worse, made him detour the city with her to every public beystadium to practice each and every technique she'd learned in each one.

An hour and forty five rips later, and Chantelle was now dragging him to the gift shop. She'd decided her modified Bellfire was already old hat and wanted to buy a totally new bey just like Jackie's.

"Here we are!" Chantelle said excitedly, releasing Jackie's arm. "Wait for me, okay?"

"What?" Jackie asked, dazed, but Chantelle had already gone inside.

The annoying nine-year-old was gone. Now was his chance.

All thoughts of the school event past him, he reversed, slipped through a side-street and appeared on the other side of the gift shop. Then he fled down a street lined with other shops.

Chantelle stepped out of the gift shop.

"Hey, Jackie – I just realised," she said, chuckling, "I need to actually SEE your bey again before I – hello, Jackie?"

She frowned, seeing he was gone. She whipped out her walky-talky.

Jackie heard her voice from his pocket.

"Where'd you go? By the way, I'll stick with Bellfire. The new ones are too expensive."

He removed the walky talky and said back to her: "I forgot to tell you, I needed to visit the pet shop to get some food for my… uh… cat…"

"Oh… well, meet me outside the gift shop."

"Nah, let's… try and find each other. Finding's more fun."

"Okay. Actually, you're right!"

"Less chatting, more finding."

Jackie smirked and pocketed the walky-talky.

He caught sight of the hills up ahead, in between the row of buildings. A cunning plan dawned on him, one that meant he could stall the rest of the afternoon until the event was over.

His run became a fast walk, and then as he grew closer to the hills, it became a trudge. He climbed the hills south of Clow where he'd so often been before. As he ascended, he could see the top of the wall that encompassed the city, and the rooftops of the nearest houses.

Finally, there came a tired voice from his walky-talky.

"Finding's hard."

"Yeah, but fun." Jackie answered it.

"I don't wanna' look around anymore, I've looked for you all over town… I just want to meet somewhere."

"No, let's keep looking."

Jackie climbed faster and harder. After fifteen more minutes, the voice in his pocket came back, more fiercely.

"That's it, I am NOT looking anymore." Chantelle said, "meet me at the pet shop."

"But I just saw you!" he said into the walky-talky, "I'm at the pizzeria!"

"You did?! Stay there!"

"Damn, too late!" Jackie said, "I've already made my way to the pet shop where you are. Should I go back to the pizzeria…?"

"Yes! Yes, just go back there and stay there!"

"A taxi's just pulled in to the side of the road, I'll catch it and meet you there."

The shrine of Clow boasted a magnificent view of the city, as well as the valley on the other side. It was well kempt, even for a place not many people visited. In the centre of the mound stood a stone pavilion.

The stone was patchy where it'd been weathered by the bitter winters. In the centre of the pavilion, like a beam shooting up through it, was a giant stalagmite. It was nearly transparent, but if you looked close enough, you could see mysterious bubble shapes dancing inside the ice. The stalagmite, unlike the weathered pavilion, was completely untarnished and emitted a strange aura.

Jackie approached the shrine and felt a buzzing in his pocket that he knew wasn't his walky-talky this time: it was his bey.

He sat down by a large, stone block next to the pavilion. He removed Glaseus and stared into the bit.

Chantelle's voice made him jump.

"How long is that taxi going to take…?" she asked, on the walky-talky.

Jackie answered it: "The taxi driver was foreign, I think he misunderstood where I wanted to go… he's taken me to this WEIRD place…"

Scirroco and Nemo faced each other, blades poised for battle. Their launchers were held in front of them; Scirroco's taking the form of a large water pistol.

"Players ready?" Owyn asked lazily, his back to the climbing frame. "Ya'll know the drill, then. Three… two… one…"

"Let it rip!" Nemo and Scirroco said, simultaneously.

Nemo's Dromeda bey and her opponent's Scorpius one landed before them. They darted at each other, kicking up sand from the path, coming for a collision…

"My bey is NOT trashy!" screamed Maxie, running toward them.

Nemo turned. Maxie had picked up her bey and launcher. In a split second, she'd sent it at Scorpius.

"TAKE 'IM OUT!" she bellowed.

"Woah," said Owyn, stepping forward. His hand moved to his own pocket.

There was a cascade of sparks as four – not three – blades collided.

Dromeda, Scorpius, Maxie's Leonine and Owyn's Aquil were piercing each other in the centre. All four blades were forced backwards by each other's momentum.

"That's your sister, eh?" Owyn asked, arms crossed. "Looks like she hasn't learned 'ow to play by the rules."

"Says you!" Nemo pointed furiously at him. "Someone who breaks other people's beys!"

"He called… my bey… trashy…" Maxie muttered, seething. Nemo turned to her.

"Stay out of my way," she ordered, "you battle Scorpius. I'll battle this cocky guy."

Their beys steered to meet their opponents'. Leonine sped into Scorpius, and Dromeda into Aquil.

"Oh no, we're too late!" said Ashley, from the park gates. She and Stanley were panting, they'd run to try and stop Maxie.

"Whoa!" Stanley pointed at the beys. "No offense, Ash, but your girlfriends… they're either really brave, or really dumb."

Dromeda was tearing at Aquil, but Aquil held its ground, matching her power.

"Holy cow, that's strong," Nemo said to herself. Sparks flew as Dromeda tore relentlessly at Aquil, but did no damage.

"Heh, I'm guessing you like my Aquil bey," said Owyn, "spins like a hurricane. Torn apart beys much bigger and stronger than yours."

Aquil tilted and pushed Dromeda away, effortlessly. It landed in front of Nemo, and kicked up sand.

"How is it doing that?" Ashley whispered. She remembered something, and let her bag slip off her shoulders. Stanley watched as she pulled out a remote, and pointed it at Nemo's and Owyn's beys in turn.

"What's that?" Stanley asked.

"It's an RPM measuring device. It measures how fast the beys are spinning," Ashley said, looking down at the screen. Her eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! No wonder Nemo's attacks aren't working! Those guy's blades – they're spinning at forty thousand revs per minute, that's FOUR TIMES Nemo's speed!"

Stanley shook his head.

"Should've known… those pistol launchers aren't just for show," he muttered, pointing to them. "They really give the bandits an edge."

"Try this on for size! Vanishing attack!" Nemo called.

Dromeda moved forward. Owyn backed off, startled: before him, five different Dromeda's seemed to be moving toward Aquil, disappearing and re-appearing in turn.

"What the – strike it down!"

Aquil moved forward, toward the nearest purple bey, but missed. Owyn's eyes scanned the surrounding sand, but it was too late.

Dromeda re-appeared above Aquil, and slammed into it. Aquil flipped backward through the air, smacking the climbing frame.

"See? Easy."

Owyn blinked. "Not bad."

Aquil swerved and took the centre of the battle ground. Dromeda circled it, continuously disappearing and re-appearing.

Nemo smirked. "I've got you now…"

Suddenly, Dromeda stopped disappearing and started wobbling. Nemo stared at it, the smile fading off her face.

"Nemo!" Ashley called out for her, the RPM remote poised. "Don't do the vanishing attack anymore! Every time you use it, your bey loses more spin! And with his bey already spinning much more than yours, that's not an op-"

"Don't tell me what to do, Ash!" Nemo shrieked at her, but she knew she was right.

Now it was Owyn's turn to smile.

"See? Easy." He repeated at her.

Maxie's battle with Scirroco wasn't going any better. Her Leonine bey went uselessly past Scorpius, missing entirely each time she went in for the attack. Then, Scorpius would re-surface from the sand right under her bey. Leonine was sent back three times by his attack.

"How is it doing that?!" Maxie asked. Leonine went in for another blow, but Scorpius tilted and slipped into the ground.

Leonine made to dodge, but Scorpius had already re-surfaced and forced it into the air. Maxie watched helplessly as Leonine flew helplessly over their heads.

"Hmm…" Scirroco said, watching it fly. "Will I finish you off now, or torture you some more?"

"Curses…" Maxie groaned, "this guy… it's like battling Jamzy all over again, except this guy attacks randomly from below, not above… and he's not using string…"

Nemo nudged Maxie. "Get Scorpius closer to Dromeda. I'm going to use my special attack."

Maxie looked at her. "You mean… your bit…? Alright, got it!"

Leonine landed. Instead of going for Scorpius, it reversed and went for Dromeda. Scorpius followed it, half-hidden beneath the sand.

Dromeda came for Aquil and dealt sparks again. The two beys fought relentlessly, neither budging.

"Damn, you've still got some spin on ya'," Owyn commented. "But ya' no hurricane. Just a dust devil or somethin' compared to Aquil."

He laughed in an annoying fashion. Nemo bit back a retort as she waited for Maxie.

Leonine appeared beside her bey. Scorpius came in and changed targets, heading for Dromeda.

"Alright, Andromeda!" Nemo said, feeling anger pulse through her. "Vixen Storm attack!"

The core of her bey glowed. Before either opponent could respond, a gust of wind seemed to drift around the arena.

"The bit!" Ashley and Stanley said together, with glee.

The gust turned into a spinning vortex, encompassing Dromeda. Scorpius and Aquil disappeared into the volley of sand, and a large sand funnel rose from Nemo's bey, a serpentine creature coiled up inside it…

But the spinning funnel stopped rising. A giant pair of talons had gripped the top of it.

Nemo gasped. Above them appeared a second bit, one she had never seen before.

"Didn't think you were the only one with a toy, did ya'?" Owyn asked. "Glad to introduce me partner… Aquila."

The silver eagle that was his bit spread its wings. The tornado disappeared as the eagle circled above them, its sharp eyes on the beys below.

From Scirroco's bey, a third bit emerged. Appearing above them, a huge red scorpion reared and snapped its pincers menacingly. The Scorpius bey hung suspended in the air, propelled by the storm.

"Scorpio," Scirroco commanded his bit, "sting shower attack."

The bit bore its tail. Suddenly, a mass of needles rained down on the beys.

"No!"

Nemo heard crunching as each white needle met their target with Dromeda and Leonine, causing them to become unbalanced. There were no needles visibly left behind, but Nemo knew the darts, whatever they were, were the bit-beast's attack.

Aquil soared over them, pausing as it passed directly over both beys.

"There's a sayin' for this. Two birds, one stone." Owyn said, "Finish 'em both, Aquila. Dive bomb attack."

In a split second, the eagle had shot downward. The Aquil bey tore through the air as it plummeted into both Dromeda and Leonine, which were right next to each other.

The attack made contact with a sickening crunch. Leonine flew into the park gate and stopped spinning.

Dromeda landed in front of Nemo. It was still spinning, but wobbling dangerously.

Maxie ran to pick up her bey. Nemo stood, her eyes transfixed on Dromeda. The attack ring had been almost completely shattered in one hit.

"Andromeda…"

"She's still goin' strong!" Scirroco said, in genuine shock.

"Yeah, she's a stubborn gal." Owyn looked over to Nemo, "I gotta' admit. You're the best beyblader I've fought in a while. But now we've gotta' finish ya'. Blade Bandit regime, we don't let anyone off easy."

"You wanna' take the honours, Owyn, or shall I?" Scirroco asked. Owyn was about to respond, when a girl pushed open the gates and ran into the park, clutching a pair of binoculars, stick horse at her side.

"Owyn! Scirroco!" she said. They all looked at her. Nemo recognised her as the girl who ambushed them in the woods. "Please, stop the match! I've just seen someone with a beyblade by the Clow shrine! We've got to hurry there, there's a small chance it's the Perseus familiar!"

"Right you are, Electra." said Owyn, his bey flying to his hand.

Scirroco retrieved his own. He then turned to Nemo. "It's your lucky day. We bandits have bigger fish to fry, but give us a shout and we'll finish smashing up Dromeda any time."

He turned on his heel. The two other bandits followed suit. Picking up their stick horses, they trudged away.

Children resumed the street and chattered in nervous whispers.

Stanley gave Ashley a nod. They approached Nemo, together. Maxie sat by her bey, cursing over her defeat.

"I wasn't wrong about ya'll. Ya'll are great bladers," he said, "you even gave the bandits a run for their money."

Nemo bent down and picked up Dromeda. She held it out to Ashley, who gasped.

"The attack ring!" she cried. "It's completely – "

Maxie held out her own bey, Leonine. It was equally damaged, both blades sporting visible scars from the battle.

"If that went on any longer, you wouldn't be beybladers anymore." Stanley said, darkly.

"What should we do?!" Maxie demanded.

"Me dad, he owns a repair shop down town. He does work on beyblades, too, sells 'em and all. Better follow me." Stanley gave them a reassuring nod.

Nemo, Maxie and Ashley followed him down the road. Nemo didn't say a word, still contemplating the shock of her defeat.

Stanley's dad didn't look too thrilled when they turned up at his workshop.

Inspecting the damage on both beys, he said: "well, the least that can be said is the weight discs didn't get cracked. But that's the least that can be said."

"What do you mean, paps?!" Maxie demanded, her fists on the counter.

"Well, ya'll attack rings are dud. There are some minute holes in these that you can't even see unless you look up close."

"That was Scorpio's needle attack," said Stanley, solemnly. "That's how they wreck other people's beys, too. First, they shower 'em with needles to weaken the bey, then the dive bomb is what finishes 'em…"

Stanley's father nodded. Fuming, Maxie looked at him straight in the eyes, leaning further across the counter.

"How long will it take to fix?!"

"Well, I can't soldier these together," he replied, "the damage is too bad. I'll have to order new attack rings. Delivery time is usually two days for new parts."

Maxie was about to shout at him, but Nemo beat her to it.

"TWO DAYS?!" she shouted, making them all jump. "We can't wait that long! We need to get to Clow in two days!"

Stanley's dad look flustered.

"Well, I'm sorry ma'am, but that's just the way it is!" he said in defence, "and I demand a bit of respect, girls! It's good a' me to even order new parts for you after the attitude y'all 'ave shown today!"

"Nemo, what are you talking about? We don't have a deadline to get to Clow." Ashley said, calmly.

Nemo gave an aggrieved sigh and strode out of the shop. The others followed her.

"Isn't it obvious why she wants to get to Clow?" asked Maxie, pointing a finger stubbornly at Nemo. "She just wants a rematch with that Jackie dude, that's all!"

"Actually, there's more to it than that, idiot." Nemo remarked. Her back was to them, and she glared across the deserted street. She hated this valley now, not least because of bandits and stupid myths about ghouls.

"Then… why, Nemo?" Ashley asked.

Nemo kept her back determinedly to them while she responded.

"Be… because we'll have to camp out for two days here while our blades are being fixed."

Ashley blinked. "So? You said you bought a tent, right?"

"I did…"

"So I don't see what's the…" Ashley began, but was interrupted by Maxie.

"I know why she doesn't want to camp out," said Maxie, slyly. Ashley and Stanley turned to look at her. There was a little grin on her face. "Because of what happened last time."

Nemo's face reddened, but she didn't look at them.

"What do you mean, Maxie?"

"When mami and papi took us out camping in the woods one night," Maxie continued, "something crawled into our tent and onto Nemo's pillow whilst she was sleeping… something REAL dangerous and scary…"

"Shut up, Maxie." Nemo said. Ashley looked confused.

"Yep, it was so scary, she screamed for papi when she woke up and saw it," said Maxie, her voice dripping with sarcasm and malice. "And that something was…"

"SHUT UP!" Nemo shrieked. "I SWEAR, I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU – "

"A SPIDER!" barked Maxie between derisive laughter. "Nemo was scared by a teeny weeny lil' SPIDER! And she's been scared of 'em ever since!"

"THAT'S IT!" Nemo shouted, and chased a still hooting Maxie into the distance.

"I'd offer ya'll to stay round mine, but we don't have room." Stanley said to Ashley, apologetically.

"That's okay," sighed Ashley, "Just… make sure you tell us as soon as possible when your dad gets the new parts. So we can get out of here…"


	10. Chapter 10 - Ghoul at the Feat

**Chapter 10** **– Ghoul at the Feat**

"Hello? Are you still there?"

Jackie stirred. He'd been lying against a bushy plantain, bey clutched in one hand, walky-talky in the other. He'd nearly dozed off.

"I am… but… I am lost." He said, drowsily.

"Are you still in the city? Can you see any signposts?"

"Nope."

Chantelle glared at her walky-talky impatiently from the city centre. The connection was getting worse as she was walking, and now all she could hear was an almost incoherent mumble of words accompanied by buzzing.

That and she had the faintest impression Jackie was just stalling so he didn't have to be with her.

She pouted as she walked along, but kept her mouth determinedly on the receiver.

"Walk around, see if you can find any signs!" she said, "ask someone for directions! We still need to have another beybattle, and then after that we need to go to the arcade and you need to take me swimming!"

She turned and walked back the way she came from. The connection was becoming clearer.

"… no' one to ask directions for…"

"Stay there!" she said. An idea had occurred to her.

Barging past the last hurdle of shoppers, she stopped at the crossroad and put her walky-talky to her mouth, again.

"What does it look like, where you are?"

She held the receiver up, pointing it in various directions. When Jackie answered, she determined the direction he was coming from by measuring which way the signal was strongest. She went south, continuing to send messages and listening to the replies carefully to determine if she was going in the right direction.

She soon found herself at the foot of a hill, and gazed up it in disbelief that any taxi had ventured this far from any specified location.

"Did you say it was hilly where you were?"

"Yeah."

"Stay there!"

His return message was so clear this time, Chantelle knew this had to be it. She began to climb. It was a painstaking walk, but she knew she could make it. She'd done it before with her friend, Paula.

Jackie's walky-talky hadn't buzzed in a while. He'd been dozing soundly when she came.

"AT LEAST YOU STAYED THIS TIME!" she shouted at him, making him jump.

Chantelle stood over him, indignant as ever, hands on hips.

"Chantelle!" He said, mind flitting for an excuse. "I took a nap while I was looking…"

"I'll tell on you if you keep making up excuses."

"So… how did you manage to find me?"

Chantelle dropped her walky-talky on the grass beside his. There was a short, faint buzzing as the pair came within close proximity.

"Oh…"

She dropped her rucksack and looked around. Jackie stood up, adjusting his hood.

"I know you didn't get a taxi here, that was a really stupid excuse. You went up by yourself to get away from me. You could've just told me, you know! What is this place? It's scary here!"

"The Clow shrine." He told her. "It's not scary here… I come here all the time when I need to be alone."

Jackie's hands fell to his pockets. He searched for his bey, but then saw it lying on the ground a short distance away. The core seemed to wink at them.

"This is the home of the protector of Clow," Jackie said, "or used to be… the protector bit of the city used to live here."

"I don't get what you mean."

"You know what a bit-beast is… right?"

"Sorta'…" Chantelle replied. "They're like, spiritual things, aren't they? My mum says they're really dangerous. My friend Paula doesn't believe in them, though."

"They're not dangerous, but they're definitely real. Aren't you from around here?"

Chantelle shook her head. "We moved here last year."

"Come over here."

He stood within the boundaries of the pavilion, by the stalagmite. Chantelle seemed to be fixated on the giant structure that acted as a central beam to the pavilion, something that must be unusual to see on a hot day like this, after all.

"What's that?"

"It's where the bit resided," Jackie said, "it lived here, watching over the city, for many years… waiting for a worthy familiar, a partner… and then it found one."

"And who's that?"

Jackie hesitated, but somehow instinct reassured him it was safe to divulge his secret to this person. "Me."

"And why should I believe THAT?" she asked.

Jackie held out his bey, and pressed it into the stalagmite. At once, the icy structure started to radiate with a blue glow, and the bubbles inside it gathered at the exact place the bey was pressed.

Chantelle quivered beside him. All sense of time was lost to them, it could've been seconds, minutes, hours, before Jackie pocketed his bey and the aura was gone.

Jackie said, "Perseus chose me the year I started beyblading. I was about your age."

"Y-you've… you've got to tell me something."

"What?"

"Where can I get a bit-beast?"

Jackie looked at her and wished he could return a different answer to the one he now told her.

"You have to earn one," he said, "you're chosen by the bit itself, if they see potential in you."

"And what do I have to do to show that?"

"It depends on the person," Jackie said. He knew he was being vague, but truthfully, he didn't know much about the familiar-bit relationship, being unable to explain even his own. He just knew his familiarity with Perseus had been fated from the beginning.

Chantelle stared at the stalagmite for a few moments more, and turned to face Jackie. She wanted to bombard him with more questions, but something else had occurred to her, so she stopped herself.

"Thank you." She muttered.

"Huh?"

"I was going to ask you to battle with me again, go shopping with me, find a new bey together and then go swimming," she said. "… But this is much better. Thank you for spending the afternoon with me like this."

"What, making you run around trying to find me?"

"No, for showing me this. I've never known about the Clow shrine before, and now I do, I know I want a bit-beast of my own and I'll do whatever it takes to get one."

He nodded. "I know you'll be a familiar one day. But first you have to become a better beyblader."

"I know. You'll help me, won't you?"

"Yeah. Just one thing," he said, scratching the back of his head, "you can't copy EVERYTHING I do, you have to find your own way of doing things sometimes."

Chantelle took out her Bellfire bey and clicked it against his.

"Gotcha'," she said, a little embarrassed. "I'll keep this one, for now. Okay?"

"Alright."

"Let's go back. We've gotta' hurry, or they'll think we're missing!"

"Technically, we ARE missing. We're all the way up here."

They went back down the hill. Unbeknownst to them, the Blade Bandits watched them from the tree, smirking.

"Did ya' give it to him, Sciro?" Owyn asked, his foot on the adjacent branch.

Scirocco was at the foot of the tree, obscured behind the trunk. "You bet. I put the letter in his rucksack – or at least… I think tha' was his."

Electra was sat next to Owyn. "What makes you so sure that he's the Perseus familiar, though?"

"Electra, didn't ya' see the way that stalagmite reacted to his bey? He's gotta' be. No other explanation, is there?"

"I don't get why ya' didn't challenge him here and now, Owyn. We're bandits, we don't play by the rules, anyways." Scirocco said.

"Blade Bandits is just a name, Sciro." Owyn replied, "really, I ain't gonna' just force him to give me the bit, otherwise it won't feel right taking it. You 'eard him tell that girl… you EARN a bit. I'm gonna' give him a day's notice to battle me."

"I just hope when he reads the letter he'll know where to go," Electra nodded.

"'m sure he will."

"But Owyn," Scirocco said, actually looking resentful.

"No ifs or buts, Sciro. I'm the leader of the team, and this is how I want things to be done." Owyn said, hopping from the tree. "And, ya' listen 'ere. When we battle, I'll win and take back what was promised to my family so many centuries ago… the Perseus bit."

The next day, Chantelle couldn't stop thinking about her conversation with Jackie. Now she knew they were real, she desired a bit-beast for herself, something that would make her beyblading as good as his.

She sat looking absent-minded throughout her classes, and similarly during lunch.

Her friend, Rachel, took a seat next to her in the cafeteria.

"What's up with you, Chantelle?" she asked, snapping Chantelle out of her daydream.

"Oh – erm, nothing, Rachel!"

"You look deep in thought for some reason."

"It's nothing, Rach." Chantelle forced a smile, hand at the back of her head. "Say, was there any homework due for today's music lesson? Because I forgot, and you know what Mrs. Allen's like…"

"We don't have music this afternoon, we have Geography," she replied, "you did bring your textbook with you, right?"

"Oh – erm – sure! Actually, I'll just go check!"

Her mouth slightly ajar, Rachel watched Chantelle go. She ran into the nearest lavatory and slammed the door shut, then tipped the contents of her bag into the sink, anxious to find her textbook. Lucky the basin was dry.

"How can I be so stupid?!" she asked herself, "of course it's Geography today! I've been thinking about bit-beasts too long, my teacher is going to KILL me if I don't have my sup – "

As she scrambled through her stuff, something caught her attention. She bent down and picked up an envelope addressed to 'the familiar of Perseus'.

"The familiar of Perseus…? Isn't that Jackie's bit-beast?" Chantelle asked, her mind darting back to the subject of bit-beasts as quickly as it had left it.

She opened the letter and read, "this letter is for the eyes of the familiar of Perseus only. We, the Blade Bandits, invite you to a battle at the park in Ghoul Valley with the leader of our team, Owyn, at eight o'clock tomorrow (Friday). Owyn has long sought the Perseus bit after it was promised to his family centuries ago, however, they never retained it. As the true heir to the protector bit of Clow, Owyn will battle you and determine the true master of the bit. If you lose, the ownership of Perseus is in his hands. If you want to know more about Owyn's family and the history of the bit, we will willingly tell you when you arrive for battle. Do not try to hide, we know who you are and you will fight us for the bit, less we take it by force. Yours, the Blade Bandits."

The nearby tap dripped softly. Chantelle clutched the letter in one sweaty hand. Slowly, she crammed her things back into the bag and folded up the letter safely in her pocket.

"Ghoul Valley…" she whispered to herself, "isn't that on the other side of the hill?"

She looked up at her reflection. Her heart pounded with the urge to do something crazy.

"Jackie doesn't need to risk losing his bit-beast," Chantelle thought aloud, "I have to start proving myself if I ever want to become a familiar. Besides, what are friends for? I'll take the battle for him."

The daunting prospect ahead both excited and unnerved her. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the bell that signalled the end of school rang. She didn't look for her friends as usual, but instead left the school premises without a word and headed straight for the hills. She felt to make sure Bellfire was safely in her bag as she went.

She took the lane up to the hill, and began to ascend until the path slipped away. From there she went through the wilderness, through the trees and up to the shrine.

She paused to admire the mysterious stalagmite, then let her bag straps slip off her shoulders. She pulled out her bey, the letter and the pair of walky-talkies that were forbidden in school, but she'd kept immersed in her bag anyway.

She put the letter down and placed the walky-talkies on top of it. Jackie would know what she'd done when he came up here next.

"Come on, Chantelle, don't be scared," she re-assured herself, "it's just a game of spinning tops, after all."

She knew she couldn't get lost because she could see exactly where the valley was. She'd been there with her parents, after all; she'd be back in time for tea, win or lose the battle. She just couldn't let anyone take Jackie's bit from him.

Without a backwards glance, she took the hazardous path down the other side of the hill and into the valley below.

"Do you really reckon he'll find us, Owyn?"

"Sure."

"He's late. Bet he chickened out. That's how bladers from Clow are like."

Owyn tilted his hat to mask the annoyed look on his face. Scirocco stood beneath him, leaning against the climbing frame he had mounted. Electra was a short way away, looking at the hills.

Scirocco didn't drop the matter. "I say we go back to Clow, and find 'im ourselves. Why didn't we do that in the first place? 'Course he ain't gonna' surrender that bit if he can help it. Best just take it from him while he – "

"Shut the hell up." Owyn said.

Scirocco's facial expression twisted in anger. "Owyn, what the – "

"I told you, Sciro. I'm the leader of this team, and what I say, goes." Owyn continued, his hat still covering his eyes. "We're not thieves. I'm gonna' earn that bit if I can. If he doesn't show up, then we'll talk about forcing him to fight us."

"Owyn, you're being dumb. We've already wrecked enough beys, what's stealing one going to make any – "

"You know the Perseus bit don't choose outlaws, bit-beasts are spirits of honour, Sciro… what the hell'd you know?"

"I'm a familiar too, Owyn!" Scirocco fired up. "You wanna' know how my bit chose me?"

"Boys, please, stop fighting!" Electra said, hurrying over to them. "I've seen someone coming… they're coming down the path, here… it might be him!"

"Maybe it's one of them kids thinking we're gone." Scirocco said, shrugging.

Owyn turned. A figure was indeed trudging down the path, but the dying Sun cast long shadows and made them indistinguishable. One thing was certain, Owyn thought – this person was shorter than he had remembered Jackie to be.

"Amazin', isn't it, Electra?" Scirocco asked, "it ain't even four, but when we come, those kids in the park, they look up and see us and run like it's for 'ere lives. They know who's boss 'round 'ere."

"And it's not you." Owyn said, making him scowl. He hopped from the climbing frame, ready to face his challenger, whom, he recognised, was not Jackie.

Instead, it was the girl who'd been with him.

Chantelle was exhausted from the long walk, but determined to fight. Her launcher was clutched in one hand, her Bellfire bey in the other.

"Are you the Blade Bandits?" she asked.

"What's it to you?" said Owyn, "who are you?"

"I'm Chantelle, a friend of Jackie's."

"Well, Chantelle," Scirocco sneered, "we don't play nice with amateur bladers, but we'll let you off this once since you ain't been 'ere before. Our letter was addressed to the Perseus familiar, so why don't you take a – "

"The letter was in my bag!" she squealed, indignantly.

"What's this?" Owyn asked. "Sciro, I thought you said you put it in Jackie's bag."

Scirocco turned away, looking annoyed. "I thought it was."

"I'd never let you try to take Jackie's bit-beast, anyway!" Chantelle continued. Fire blazed in her eyes. "Why? Because he's my friend, and I know how much his bit-beast means to him! You must've seen us at the shrine together, right? Of course, that's how you slipped the letter in my bag! But what you didn't know was I'd never – "

"Argh…" Owyn moaned, pushing his fingers into his earholes. "She talks too much."

"Scirocco's right, Chantelle." Electra said, with a quiet and reassuring voice. "You have to leave, now. We're the Blade Bandits. Our aim is to quench the world of weak beybladers and take back what is rightfully Owyn's, the protector bit of Clow. You need to turn around and leave, now… or face the same fate as the other kids around here…"

"I'm not scared of you! That's why I came to fight!" Chantelle retaliated.

Owyn casually reached for his launcher, sensing a battle coming on, but Scirocco beat him to it.

"Shall I take 'em, Owyn?" he asked, stepping forward. "Well, I don't need your consent, actually, do I? We're a team, you're not my leader or anythin'."

Scirocco laughed and assumed a stance opposite Chantelle.

"Order up."

"The coca cola's my order!" Maxie said, grabbing the glass. She drained it quickly, and the slurping noises she made disturbed the surrounding customers.

Ashley sighed. Nemo rolled her eyes and looked away. Stanley looked for something to talk about as they drank.

"So, how's Jordan?"

"Not well." said Ashley, "We left her in the tent. She seems to think she's back in Gaia, doesn't she, Nemo?"

"It's not unheard of, she was always an idiot." Nemo replied. "Just one more day, then we can get out of this dump."

"Oi, mind talking about my hometown with a lil' more respect, won't ya'?" said Stanley, annoyed.

"Your hometown is a dump." Nemo snapped at him. "We were planning to go to Clow, but then we got stranded here instead. We would've left yesterday if our beyblades hadn't got trashed by those pretend cowboys."

"You mean you would've left yesterday if you hadn't been so weak!" Maxie piped up.

"Shut up, your bey got trashed too, Maxie."

"I don't see why we have ta' go to Clow, though!" Maxie said, "all 'cause you wanna' rematch that Jackie guy or something! I say, screw 'im, let's go someplace else!"

"Oh, of course you wouldn't understand." Nemo said, reaching over and patting her head. "You're not a true beyblader, you don't know what it means to settle a score."

Maxie slapped her hand away and glowered at her. Nemo laughed, cruelly.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me," said Nemo, "what's the Perseus bit?"

Stanley looked up. "That's the bit the Blade Bandits are suppos'd to be searching for. It's said the reason they love trashin' kid's beys so much is 'cause they're trainin' themselves up to find it and take it back."

"Perseus is supposed to live in Clow somewhere, right?" Nemo asked.

Stanley nodded. She continued, "that Jackie guy said he owned the protector bit of Clow or something. What if they're the same bit? What if they've been looking for Jackie the whole time?"

"If they have, it sounds like they found him," Ashley said, "judging by what that girl said yesterday when she interrupted the battle."

"They've been searchin' for ages. Like, months." said Stanley, "that's 'ow long they've been causin' trouble here. Thing is, most of the stuff they do goes unnoticed 'cause they get away before the adults can stop 'em…"

He looked at them all, and shrugged. "I never heard of this Jackie person, but I'm sure I heard of this protector bit before. Maybe ya'll are right, maybe it is the same bit."

"What's the chances of that…" Maxie muttered.

"Whatever, it's just a thought." Nemo said, "I don't really care, but if I want to battle Jackie again, I want us to both have our bit-beasts."

They drank until they were finished, then Ashley said, "shall we go pay and then find Jordan? Maybe she's seen a cute boy walking past the tent and feels better…"

They paid and left the inn. The park was right next to the inn, and when they saw Chantelle and Scirocco in battle, they exchanged shocked looks and ran over to meet them.

"You ready?!" asked Scirocco.

Chantelle nodded. "Three… two… one… let it rip!"

Bellfire and Scorpius fell in front of their owners. Scirocco put his pistol launcher back on his belt, sneering.

"Bellfire, attack!" Chantelle shouted. Her red bey came for Scorpius and they collided. Scorpius brushed it effortlessly away, however.

"Her offense is weak. Knew this would be a disappointment." Owyn muttered to Electra.

"Don't give up now!" Chantelle shouted.

Bellfire swerved around Scorpius, and came in for another attack. This time, Scorpius seemed to drift into the ground and disappeared within the sand. Bellfire skated over the place where it was.

Chantelle blinked. "What the – how did you do that? That's totally unfair!"

"Not unfair at all," Scirocco jibed, "that just proves you don' really know anythin' about bein' a familiar, do ya'?"

Suddenly, Scorpius re-appeared a few yards away. It ran up the border of the climbing frame and took to the skies.

"Woah!" Chantelle squinted to see the bey's outline leap over Bellfire.

"Watch out!" Ashley screamed, "he's about to use his bit-beast attack, he's going to attack you with needles!"

Chantelle turned and saw the group hurrying towards her. Her eyes widened as she heard Scirocco command his attack:

"Scorpio, sting shower."

Chantelle stepped back to avoid the deluge of needles, and slid behind one of the poles of the swing. She peered back around the pole, waiting for the attack to end.

"Thanks!" she called to the group.

"What are you doing, battling him?" Ashley said, "don't you know he's one of the Blade Bandits? They destroy beys like yours! Quick, return it and run away as fast as you c – "

"Yeah, you can do it, girl, woo-hoo!" Maxie shouted, "you take those bandits down! You make 'em pay for what they did to our beys!"

Scirocco looked down. His sneer was gone.

His Scorpius bey had landed, and, spinning right next to it, was Bellfire. It had pulled in directly beneath his bey for the duration of the attack in order to avoid the needles.

"Long range attacks don't work short range!" Chantelle said, walking around to face her opponent. "Nice try, though. Keep it up, Bellfire!"

"What's this, are you having trouble, Sciro?" Owyn asked, smirking.

"No way, this girl just got lucky those has-beens showed up." Scirocco glared in the group's direction. "Never mind. Scorpio, disappear."

The Scorpius bey tilted and ducked underground. Chantelle watched it sink, and Bellfire pulled away.

"I have no idea where it's going to go next…" Chantelle said, looking at the sand.

"Brats like these who act tough need to learn a lesson, that's why the Blade Bandits were formed," Scirocco muttered to himself. "Alright, re-appear, Scorpio!"

Chantelle stumbled. His bey had re-appeared in front of her. It used the pole to propel itself into the air, again; this time hanging dangerously above her.

"Sting shower!"

"No!" cried Ashley.

Chantelle let out a piercing scream. She covered her head and felt sharp pains all over her body as she was consumed by needles from every direction.

Owyn and Electra gasped, moving forwards.

"Scirocco – you're going too far!" cried Electra.

"So what? This is what we do, right? Quench the weak?" Scirocco shrugged, watching his bey fall. Bellfire had been within range for the attack, and it was wobbling. It looked like tiny bits had been chipped off its attack ring.

Scirocco sneered again. "Look at that… her bey's slowin' down. Looks like it's in bad shape, I'll finish 'er off."

"Nemo, shouldn't we do something?" Ashley squealed.

Nemo crossed her arms. "Nah, it's their battle. We'll help her once it's over."

Chantelle had dropped to her knees, wincing in pain and feeling blood trickle down her arms and back. Scorpius had disappeared into the sand.

She watched the sand carefully. Bellfire didn't move, but instead continued to wobble.

"It's going to re-appear underneath me," she whispered, conducting a strategy. "That's my chance!"

Sure enough, she spotted the shadow of Scorpius' attack ring before it emerged from the sand.

"NOW!" Chantelle shouted, clambering to her feet. "Attack, Bellfire!"

Scirocco's eyes widened. "Wha – "

Bellfire had jumped over his bey as it rose, narrowly missing the broth of his attack. It landed and swerved, crashing into the defenceless Scorpius bey.

Scorpius landed at Scirocco's foot and stopped spinning. Bellfire burst into pieces moments later, the last of its power drained by that sacrificial attack.

Now it was Chantelle's turn to sneer, and she did so, panting hard. The needles had disappeared.

"Do you – know how Duke William of Normandy – won the Battle of Hastings?" she stuttered between breaths, "he pretended to retreat – then Harold Godwinson's army followed – and he fell into a trap! Like I did – with Bellfire! I took you by surprise!"

"No way…" Scirocco mumbled, taken aback.

Chantelle fell forwards on her knees, and then collapsed to the ground. Nemo, Maxie, Ashley and Stanley rushed forward to check on her.

Owyn smirked. "Pathetic. Like, your worst battle on so many levels, Sciro."

"She got lucky – "

"Sure she did. And your unnecessary attack on her was an accident. You make me sick sometimes, man…"

"She's completely exhausted, but the needles are gone, at least…" Ashley said, kneeling over Chantelle.

"Right. Should we call a doctor, or just get her back to the tent?" asked Stanley.

Nemo stood up as they talked, and approached the Blade Bandits by the exit of the park.

"Wait." She called to Owyn, and he stopped walking.

"I'm not battlin' you again. I've got other stuff to do." He said, flicking the tip of his hat.

"It's not that, my bey's still being repaired," Nemo told him. "I wanted to ask you guys something. Why do you want the Perseus bit?"

Owyn turned to face her. He looked contemplative by the light of the dying Sun. Electra placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Well," he began, "it's a long story. Let's put it that way."

"We've got time." Nemo said, waving down Chantelle's injuries.

"Right," Owyn smirked at her. "Since you were my best opponent for a while, I'll tell ya'. Do you know why this place is called Ghoul Valley?"

"Because of the ghoul thingy that lives in the bell tower, right?"

"Right." Owyn nodded, "the ghoul… happens to be the ghost of a distant relative o' mine… my great great great… you get the picture… great aunt."

"Ghosts aren't real."

"What's happened in the past," Owyn said, darkly, "is real. I've researched my family a while, and the valley. I grew up here."

He continued, "Ghoul Valley was built centuries ago as a sanctuary for wounded soldiers. People who were fightin' in wars. That's why this place is hidden away in the hills. It's narrow and shadowed by the hills so you can't really see it from above, and as a bonus it's right next to the bigger city o' Clow, so resources could easily be harboured from there to the folks who lived 'ere."

"There's somethin' else as well…" he said, looking into the distance. Nemo followed his eye line and saw what looked like a pavilion, etched into the landscape. "The Clow shrine… she stands over both the city and the valley. She's a symbol o' protection. The valley was built 'ere because they thought the bit of the shrine would watch over the valley and over the men whilst they were treated."

"The man who crafted this valley… I'm descended from 'im. The genealogy records are in the library, if you dun' believe me. He took possession o' the Perseus bit when it recognised 'im as a worthy familiar."

"Is Perseus the protector bit of Clow? The bit from the shrine?" Nemo asked.

Owyn nodded, and Nemo thought of Jackie. "Yeah."

"When me great, great, great, great… great grandfather passed away, the bit returned to the shrine and into the control o' the Clow councillors. His daughter took o'er the valley. They promised her she would be the rightful familiar, for her continued efforts to help the men who came from war."

Nemo noticed everyone else was silent, even Maxie; they were so absorbed in his story.

"Did… did she ever get the bit?" Ashley asked.

"No," Owyn said, resentfully. "She stood at the bell tower every evening 'till her death and the bit was never bought to her. And that's why we bandits aspire to take control o' the bit, and what's rightfully mine."

"That's illogical," Ashley said. Everyone looked at her. "Why would you go back on your great ancestor's wishes? They built the valley as a safeguard for everyone, and here you are, ruining people's beys and scaring the kids here."

Owyn turned away. Scirocco laughed at her response.

"Don't talk like that to 'im. You don't know what it's like, do ya'? When someone takes something that belongs to ya', and doesn't give it back…"

Nemo thought of her own Andromeda bit, and how it meant more to her than anything else in the world did. Then she thought of her parents, who would've done everything in their power to remove it from her possession, if they could.

"You guys'd better stay out our way. We came 'ere tonight expecting someone else." Owyn said, his back to them. "Tomorrow afternoon, we'll come by 'ere as usual and we'll go to the city. And we won't come back without the bit. You watch. C'mon, guys."

Scirocco picked up his bey. Together, the three bandits left the park. Nemo watched them fade into the sunset.

"We'd better take her back to the tent before it gets dark," said Stanley, motioning to Chantelle. "She's fine, I think… just needs some rest. And tonnes a' plasters."

"Good idea." Ashley nodded.

Nemo didn't talk at all on the way back to the tent.


	11. Chapter 11 - The Repair-Store Cowboys

**Chapter 11** **– The Repair-Store Cowboys**

Nemo awoke to the sound of someone drumming their hand on the saucepan.

"Rise and shine, new friends!" Chantelle squealed. "Breakfast's ready!"

Ashley sat up, rubbing her eyes. "You made us breakfast?"

"Sure! It's the least I can do for my new friends who probably saved my life!" Chantelle laughed, rolling her eyes.

"The least you can do," Nemo said, grumpily, "is shut up and stop making so much noise this early in the morning. Now go back to sleep."

"Like you can talk, fishy," Maxie mumbled into her pillow, "you got us up real early one morning to walk to Clow."

"Don't call me fishy," Nemo snapped, "and that was different, we had to get away from Gaia."

"Oh, you're going to Clow?" Chantelle asked, lowering her saucepan. "That's such a coincidence! I live there!"

"You're kidding, Chantelle!" Ashley said, smiling at her.

"At least now that you're with us, Nemo can't get us lost again," Maxie mumbled.

"Zip it, Maxie."

"You guys should come have breakfast. I've made it for you, we can talk more there!" Chantelle said, cheerfully.

Stretching and yawning, the members of the newly entitled Ripmongers crawled out of the tent. Chantelle had apparently rummaged through their supplies to find all their breakfast necessities. A picnic rug was laid out on the grass by the tent, with the tiny stove cooker Nemo had packed lying next to it. Ashley's plastic plates were laid out, one for each of them, with helpings of buttered rolls, fried mushrooms, tomatoes and baked beans.

"I had to go to the shops to get some of this," Chantelle said, "so I spent some of your money. I hope you don't mind… the baked beans were on special offer!"

"That's very considerate of you, Chantelle," Ashley said, cupping a hand around Nemo's mouth, who had opened it to say something nasty.

"Isn't that other girl – the blonde one – going to come out?"

"Erm – she's not really feeling well." Ashley said.

Nemo looked at Ashley, sighed, and sat down. The four of them ate while Chantelle spoke to them at a hundred miles an hour.

"… I think I'll ask my mummy and daddy to take me here more often! That's when I get back to Clow, though. I couldn't call them on my cell phone to come pick me up. That would mean explaining why I came out here in the first place, I didn't have a good excuse… instead I called Rachel and told her to tell them I was at hers, so they wouldn't worry…"

Maxie quickly gobbled up her own helping. She licked the plate clean, and stared at Jordan's unguarded plate hungrily.

Ashley looked interested.

"Why did you come all the way out from Clow to challenge the Blade Bandits?" she asked, while Maxie nicked a mushroom from Jordan's plate, "that was extremely dangerous, you could've gotten lost."

"Ashley, right?" Chantelle asked, "well, I have to admit, I'm not the world's best thinker. I guess it was stupid for me to come, but all I wanted to do was to save Jackie the trouble of – "

"Jackie?" Nemo interrupted. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, the Blade Bandits invited Jackie to a battle, but I decided to fight them myself, I couldn't let them take his bit-beast! By the way, did you guys pick up my bey? I haven't seen it."

Ashley looked stony-faced.

"Well…" she began, but Maxie saved her the trouble of explaining.

They'd scooped up the bits of Bellfire into a small pouch, which she now emptied. Red, orange and pink multi-colour plastic scraps fell onto the picnic rug.

Chantelle gazed at the pile of dysfunctional plastic for a moment, and waved a hand airily, chuckling.

"Oh well, I was planning on buying a new one anyway!" she said, startling them, "yeah, I have to admit I'm not the world's best beyblader either… but I beat one of those bandit thingies, that's a story I can tell all my friends, eh? Eat your mushrooms before they get cold!"

Nemo was not sure she liked this girl. She didn't truly like anyone, of course, but the demeanour of this girl particularly annoyed her and she couldn't wait for the trek to Clow to do part with her.

Once they were finished, they took an hour packing their things away and folding up the tent. Jordan stumbled out of the tent and curled up on the grass, nibbling her helping of breakfast.

They intended to collect their fixed beys that afternoon and walk to Clow, before, Ashley put it, "anything else bad can happen". Chantelle agreed to escort them there as she knew the path.

Jordan eyed her meal.

"T-Tyler used to like mushrooms." She said tearfully, making the rest of the team sigh.

"What do you mean, have I seen her?" Jackie asked, irritably.

"We thought you were, like, friends now!" Rachel said, panicked.

"She only went missing yesterday!" Paula snapped, "just a day after you guys were hanging out together! We thought you'd have something to do with it!"

"Nah," Jackie said, arms crossed. "That was part of some inter-school hang out with kids day thing…"

They were staring at him in outraged disbelief. "My association with her stretched for about five hours that day, and no further since."

"If she's not been with you, do you know where she is now? Did she say anything to you?" Rachel asked.

"You'd better answer her questions truthfully, her parents are worried sick!" Paula demanded.

Jackie glared at Paula, his eyes glinting with dislike. "Well, don't you think if I had any idea where she was I'd have told you about five seconds ago?"

"Chantelle called me last night and told me to lie so her parents wouldn't worry. She refused to say where she was, though. She hasn't contacted me since." Rachel said.

"You're an idiot for doing that, then."

"Would you quit slagging us off and at least try to be helpful?" Paula grumbled. "When you were hanging out together, did you go anywhere else away from the city? Did you talk about anywhere else? Chantelle is REALLY adventurous."

Jackie's hand drifted casually to his pocket. He touched the core of his bey, and a memory that was not his entered his mind: he saw Chantelle discarding something at the Clow shrine, and depart via the other side of the hill, into the valley below.

"Jackie…?"

"I think I know where she is," Jackie said, quietly, and the girls were taken aback by his change of tone. "Don't worry about it. I'll go find her."

He left the pair, who were too dumbstruck by his reply to hassle him anymore.

His feet moved almost mechanically. In what seemed like no time he'd climbed the way to the shrine. He knew she'd been past here, heading for Ghoul Valley – but why?

He took a step forward and his foot landed on something hard. He looked down and saw a pair of walkie-talkies on the ground, with a letter.

The letter had his name on the envelope, so he took it and read it. Much of the valley on the other side of the hill was obscured in shadow as the early afternoon sun drifted over the hills, so when he looked up in the direction of the valley, the darkness ahead did nothing to boost his morale.

"You didn't…"

Ashley slammed the big book on the table shut with a sigh. They were in the library, by her insistence, and a plethora of books lay on the table before them.

"Any luck?" asked Nemo.

"No!" she said, "there's nothing mentioned in here about the Perseus bit, at all!"

"Too bad." Nemo said, yawning.

"At least we've found out something, he wasn't lying about how he was the descendent of the man that founded the valley," Ashley said, poring over the large pile of books on the table before her, "… and that his responsibilities were passed down to his daughter, who died prematurely…"

"We've?" Maxie repeated. She was lying down across about three chairs, staring up at the ceiling. "You've done all the work, nobody else cares about what happened two hundred years ago. I just wanna' go get my bey and leave."

"Well, maybe I was hoping if we found a conflicting story about the Perseus bit, we could tell Owyn and change his stance on taking it for his own!" Ashley snapped.

"He's probably already read these books," suggested Nemo, "I know I would if I were him. He knows everything to do with the history of this place."

She remembered the affectionate way he spoke of the Perseus bit, and couldn't help but compare it to her feelings toward Andromeda. If he hadn't messed up their beyblades and forced them to stay in the valley for the meanwhile, she'd feel quite sorry for him.

Chantelle was looking at the Jacqueline Wilson series on a shelf a few yards away. Jordan was building a castle out of books, which quickly toppled over, making a loud noise as each book landed on the floor with a thump.

"I think we'll call it a day soon," said Ashley, "just get our blades and go. I can't see us finding out anything else. If we leave now, we'll be at Clow in time for lunch…"

Everyone's heads were turned, so Jordan slipped around the bookcase and walked down the adjacent passage. She passed into the next room and stopped at the banister looking out over the ground floor of the library.

Three people, two of them boys, were perched around a circular table. They didn't hasten to keep their voices down, because they weren't aware anyone was nearby.

"… dunno' if I want to be trashin' no more beys. Don't feel right no more. Thought about what that girl said. Don't think the Perseus bit chooses double-crossing bullies." The shorter of the two boys was saying, his arms behind his head.

"Owyn, you're never gon' get Perseus if you're nice about it!" the older practically spat at him. "We're bandits! We need to show people we mean business! Make 'em fear us!"

"Nah, we just ruined beys for fun. Fact is it don't have anything to do with the bit, quite hones'ly. It ain't fun no more, though… but hey, maybe if you still like it, you should leave the group and we just change our team name."

Jordan crouched down and crawled behind another bookcase. The girl who accompanied them was looking between both boys, back and forth, as if she was watching a tennis match.

"Bandits?" Jordan asked herself. She frowned, thinking she recognised the name.

The older boy was muttering incoherent words. The younger shook his head and stood up.

"I keep telling you, Sciro," he said with an air of finality, "we ain't doin' it. I'm the strongest on the team and what I say, goes. Besides, their beys don't mean nothing to me… I'm only interested in Perseus, and woe is you if you don't feel the same."

He kicked his chair in and walked out of Jordan's line of view. The other two waited for the sound of the exit door slamming shut, before they spoke again.

"Runt," said the older boy. "Thinks he's the leader. Doesn't know the meaning of the word team."

"Maybe he's got a point, Sciro," the girl replied, softly. "Maybe it'd be best if we just focused on our true mission. Forget about everything else."

"No, Electra." He replied, standing up. "I've had it with that guy ordering me around, and I'm gonna' prove it. We're bandits, that means outlaw, check a dictionary while you're here if you don't believe me. So, are you a bandit or just a phony like him?"

The girl tried to interrupt him, but trailed off. "Well, he did found the team…"

"Well?" Scirocco asked, eyebrow raised.

"I'm… I'll do it if it helps with our goal." She said.

"It does. The more bit-beasts we have when it comes down to battlin' Jackie, the better. Besides, no right-minded blader could pass down the chance of obtainin' Andromeda… not when it's just sittin' in that repair shop, defenceless like that girl said…"

The boy's face flooded with greed. He turned on his heel and the girl followed him out of the room.

"Andromeda! That's Nemo's bit!" Jordan whispered. She clapped a hand over her mouth, remembering that she was meant to be silent in the library.

She crawled across the ground and hurried back to the rest of the team. She went over to Ashley and nudged her painfully in the side.

"Not now, Jordan, I'm busy."

Jordan walked over to Nemo instead, and poked her.

"What?" she grumbled.

Jordan tried to lip-sync words at her, but Nemo's expression remained impassive.

"Go play somewhere else, idiot."

Nearly stamping her foot from frustration, she began to act out the words she couldn't produce. She mimed something spinning around in her hand, pointed to Nemo, and then pointed to the room she had just come from.

"Is this charades?" Maxie asked, sitting up. Jordan nodded and tip-toed across the room, trying to mime a thief.

Nemo picked up the nearest book and threw it at her. "No'one wants to play charades, idiot."

Maxie had gone back to trying to get some sleep. Jordan clenched her fists and stormed wordlessly from the library.

Outside, she took a deep breath and said: "if I can't tell them what those bandits are up to, I'll have to put a stop to them myself!"

It was a bad day to play fancy dress in the valley, as Jackie soon realised. It was swelteringly hot, for a start, so the long black cloak that trailed behind him as he walked drew laughter from passers-by; he answered them with obscene hand gestures.

The pirate mask wasn't exactly weather appropriate, either.

"At least nobody will recognise me this way." He re-assured himself under his breath. "I could be walking into a trap if I went without a disguise…"

Now he just had to find the park.

He noticed a band of small children up ahead, so he slipped down a small alleyway, not wanting to draw attention.

Nearby, Jordan charged up the lane, panting hard.

"Oi, Jordan!" Stanley called out to her, as she passed. His dog was with him. "You feeling better? Where you going? Where's the rest of the – "

"No time to talk now!" she burst out, "where's your dad's repair shop?"

"Er – just keep going up the lane, it's one of the last few shops on the right, but – "

She darted past him, sending a cloud of dust behind her and making the ferocious dog draw back in fear.

A minute later, she burst into the repair shop. There was no' one behind the counter, but the pair of beyblades she knew belonged to Nemo and Maxie lay flat on the desk, good as new. She smiled with relief and picked them up, fishing for a twenty pound note to exchange them with.

Sweat glistened on her forehead, the effort from running had been worth it to make sure they were safe.

In the distance, she heard a bell chime four times. She regained her breath and turned around, and with a pang of fear, found that she was not alone in the shop after all.

"Nice pair o' blades you got there," said Scirocco, his voice alive with malice. "Your friends', aren't they? Did you get 'em just to bring to us?"

"There's a reason why those beys had to be repaired," Electra said, beside him. They were both groping for their launchers, their own beys at hand. Jordan could do nothing but watch, petrified, as they took their stance. "Please surrender them, or you'll find out exactly what makes the Bandits the strongest beybladers in the valley."

"You've got ten seconds. Leave them beys on the ground and step away, or you're next."

Jordan took a step backwards. Slowly, she leant over to put the beys down.

She could feel her heart racing. Something was wiggling out of her pocket as her back was arched; just a bit more, she thought to herself…

Scirocco raised his eyebrows. "Well? Back off so we can – "

"GO, BUBBLEZ!" screamed Jordan, and she tore at her rip cord as her launcher and bey entered her hand.

Scirocco stepped back, gasping. Electra did the same. Bubblez went flying over their heads, and the sound of breaking glass reverberated throughout the shop. In the midst of the din, Jordan whipped Dromeda and Leonine into her pocket and dived between the bandits' legs.

Scirocco cursed and tried to grab her. She narrowly evaded, rolling over and groping for her bey as shards of glass rained down upon them –

"Ha!" he jeered, and Scorpius flew from his launcher. Nearby, Electra had withdrawn her own bey and sent it into the fray.

"Anguil, attack!" she shouted.

Jordan bounced to her feet and caught Bubblez. She threw herself away from the oncoming bey and heard a deafening bang as a piece of antique furniture collapsed. There was an older man's voice, the bandits hesitated, and in that split second she'd found the door knob –

"What's going on?!" shouted the man, from a room nearby. A glass pane smashed right over Jordan's head, but she'd pelted through the door before the grains of broken glass littered the ground.

Ashley looked around. "Deserted. It's four in the afternoon, after all."

No kidding, Nemo thought. There wasn't another soul in sight as they walked down the lane.

"Why's there no' one here?" Chantelle asked, looking confused.

"It's those bandits again, Chantelle. They come strolling through the valley on their way up to Clow every afternoon at four o'clock, so that's when the kids go inside."

Chantelle folded her arms, pompously. "Well, THAT'S not fair! Who said it's their village? Huh? Huh? If I were those children, I'd NEVER let those bully bandits boss me around like that!"

"Try saying that five times faster," Nemo muttered to Maxie, who proceeded to mumble "bully bandits boss" under her breath repeatedly.

"I hope Jordan's waiting for us in the inn, otherwise we've lost her." Ashley remarked.

"You don't know what Jordan's like about food," said Nemo, "she probably got bored in the library, sniffed out a delicious piece of cake…"

They stopped, abruptly. Stanley was hurrying up to them, looking stricken.

"Guys, come quick!" he shouted, "it's – those bandits, they've stolen your beyblades!"

"What?!"

"My dad saw 'em leave the shop, place is a mess, your beys aren't there any more either!"

Indeed, the shop looked like it had been stricken by an earthquake; another months' worth of fresh repairs at least, Ashley thought to herself.

"This is terrible!" she gasped.

Nemo let out a shriek of fury and kicked the counter. Maxie strolled back to the exit, red-faced. "Which way did they go? I don't care about what happened to Nemo's bey, they ain't takin' my Leonine and getting away with it! Let me at 'em! Lemme' - "

"If anyone's going to teach those guys a thing or two, it's me!" Nemo said, rounding on her.

"Guys, look at this! Hurry!" Chantelle called to them from the lane. They flooded out of the doors, Stanley behind them.

Chantelle pointed to the ground. There were obvious signs of a scrap; footprints that trailed off into the distance, and the wooden houses that encompassed the corner of the lane were all stained with what Ashley thought looked horribly like singe marks.

"Looks like someone's on our side, at least."

Stanley stepped forward, face full of realisation. "Jordan."

"Jordan?"

"She – I saw her just a sec ago. Comin' up the path 'ere, wanted to know where me dad's repair shop was. You think she knew something?"

"She was trying to tell us something at the library, but these guys kept putting her down!" Ashley said, pointing at Nemo and Maxie.

Maxie hung her head in shame, but Nemo crossed her arms and turned away, mumbling "I thought she was just being her usual idiotic self."

"What are you guys waiting for?" Chantelle said, frantically. "We need to go find Jordan!"

Jordan thundered up the lane, but felt something yank her foot and she fell flat on her front.

A small dust cloud consumed her, but even in the thickset of it, she could make out two distinct shadows circling her.

Scirocco laughed as he approached. Electra was next to him, stick horses at hand. "Never battled in the wild west before, have you, pretty?"

Jordan gritted her teeth, getting up.

"You'll never get what you want out of me!" she screamed, pointing at them. "I'll never give you my friends' beyblades! And just to prove it – I'll fight you!"

She reached for Bubblez. In a split second, she launched it at the circling beys and they diverted.

Anguil swerved to meet Bubblez as it bounced toward the bandits. Scorpius went straight for a nearby house, struck it, and rebounded, propelling itself through the air at Jordan…

Jordan's eyes widened, and she threw herself behind a barrel. Needle after needle sunk into it, and some of them flew over the barrel completely, catching the fine ends of her blonde hair.

"She knows about my sting shower attack. Been listenin' to her friends, I 'spect." Scirocco grinned. His bey landed on the ground.

Jordan peered around the barrel. Beads of water were cascading from the places in the barrel the needles had struck.

"Bubblez, retreat!"

"No. Anguil, keep chasing her!" Electra ordered.

"You too, Scorpius!"

Bubblez bounced toward Jordan and onto the barrel. Jordan threw herself from behind the barrel and into a roll. Bubblez flew after her, just as the opposing beys collided with it, making it explode into a fountain.

Jordan regained balance and continued to run, hearing cursing behind her. A few more needles shot past her head and sunk into the wooden boards of surrounding houses.

"I can never take them on both at once," she thought, "the only thing to do is trick them!"

She veered down a narrow side path, Bubblez close on her heel. She pressed herself to the wooden boards of the adjacent house, watching the opening at the end of the alley carefully, hoping the bandits wouldn't appear there…

She tore into the neighbouring lane and landed on her knees, sighing with relief. Bubblez circled her.

"Think you lost us, eh?"

Jordan's heart missed a beat. She looked up, and sure enough, the two bandits were standing before her, looking more serious than before.

"You have no 'ope of beating us, blondie. We've lived in the valley our whole lives, we know all the twists and turns o' this landscape."

"Please," Electra started, and she was sympathetic, almost pleading, "we don't want to destroy your bey, too…"

"Don't reason with her, Electra, she won't listen. Let's show her our 'shark pit' combination attack."

Electra closed her eyes, sickened with herself. "Anguilla, Lightning Ring attack."

"Scorpio, hide underground!"

Scirocco's orange bey seemed to disappear into the sand. Anguil cackled and became alight with electricity, circling Bubblez at high velocity.

"That attack…" Jordan muttered, watching it. Suddenly, Scorpius sprung up from the ground, slamming into Bubblez. Bubblez hit the ring Anguil was creating and bounced back into the centre, where it was struck again, and again, by Scorpius' attacks.

Worse still, every time Bubblez tried to jump out of the ring, Anguil adjusted its attack to follow it whilst Scorpius continued to change direction to emerge from the sand beneath it.

There had to be some way out of this, she thought.

"Had enough, yet?" Scirocco jeered.

How had she beaten Bakito? At the time, she'd thought he was a tough opponent, but she'd overcome him when she worked out his attack pattern. Wasn't this the same situation?

She watched Scorpius carefully. Every time it shot up into her bey, it was slanted upward. That meant, when it disappeared underground, it had to take time to slant before it could shoot up again.

"That's the rhythm of his attack!" Jordan exclaimed.

Jordan tapped her foot against the ground. The urge to burst out into cheerleading was strong, but she held it back.

"Fine, we'll just mess up your bey for ya'…"

Scorpius disappeared into the ground. Jordan timed him, carefully.

"Now, Bubblez! Jump!"

At that precise moment, Bubblez sprung into the air just as Scorpius appeared beneath it. The very edge of its attack ring caught Bubblez, and instead of harming it, propelled it far into the sky…

The bandits gasped. Jordan threw herself aside, and sent herself down a side alley as Bubblez landed on the roof of the nearest house, then bounced over the edge and out of sight.

"NO!"

"Ha!" Jordan said triumphantly, running through a narrow path. She kept her eyes on Bubblez, which bounced across the rooftops above her…

Scirocco and Electra hurtled down the alley after her.

"Wait."

"What is it, Electra?!" Scirocco demanded, fuming. Electra had stopped in her tracks, looking down the perpendicular alley; a bit wider where the interval between the neighbouring houses was bigger.

She shook her head. "Go on, catch up. There's someone watching, but I'll take care of him."

She turned down the side alley, and Anguil spun to meet her. Above her, the bit of Anguilla, an eel, twirled through the air as it materialised, its tail poised threateningly for attack.

"Go." Electra hissed, "I know you're there. Be gone, quickly."

Jackie slipped out from behind the dustbin. Glaseus was in front of him, already launched.

"Go," she repeated. "You don't want to get involved, or you'll face the wrath of the Bandits."

She didn't ordinarily mind repeating herself, but she'd done it so much today, she was tired of it. Still, the short, dark haired gentleman showed no sign of retreating, so she pointed ahead and Anguilla took charge.

"Anguilla, Lightning Ring!"

Her blade cackled with electricity. It shot toward the opposing bey as sparks appeared around it…

A chilling breeze immersed the alley. There was a flash of light as a second bit materialised. Electra could make out a swipe of a paw as a shield of mist enveloped Glaseus.

With a second flash of light, the Anguilla bit gave a shriek as it succumbed to the opponent bit. It disappeared and her bey flew over her shoulder and landed against a wall. It hissed for a moment before it stopped spinning, engraved against the wall.

The chilling breeze dropped, and the stranger stepped forward.

"Don't move, there's worse where that came from!" Electra ordered, standing her ground, "I'm warning you, the bandits don't take prisoners – we're on a mission to secure the protector bit of Clow for ourselves, and if you try to stop us – "

" – Then I'll succeed," Jackie grinned. He peeled the mask off his face, and Electra's eyebrows contracted in surprise. "As the familiar of Perseus… I think I know what I'm doing."

"Y-you?"

"Yeah," he said. His eyes navigated up and down the alleyway. "So, where's Chantelle?"


	12. Chapter 12 - Fighting Tooth and Talon

**Chapter 12** **– Fighting Tooth and Talon**

Owyn sat on the climbing frame, his hands in his pockets. He looked about the deserted street, and sighed a little.

Sometimes he wished the other children didn't fear him so much. It wouldn't make him feel like a complete loner and depend solely upon the presence of two people for company.

Then again, he thought, ties with his teammates had been bad recently, especially in light of Scirocco daring to suggest he stole other people's beyblades.

Why, for the sheer fun of it? He wanted the Perseus bit for himself because it rightly belonged to him. He didn't intend to harbour rebellious ideals just for the hell of upsetting other people.

Meanwhile, Jordan had located a conveniently placed dustbin to take shelter. She jumped inside and clamped the lid shut just as Scirocco veered around the corner.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are…" he jeered, "eh, hide and seek got boring when I was about five, anyway."

"Please don't find me…" Jordan whispered to herself. "Please don't find me…"

"Word o' advice," said Scirocco, pulling the dustbin lid to, "next time you hide, try to keep yourself silent, you damned idiot."

"BUBBLEZ, ATTACK!"

Bubblez had sprung down from the roof above him, narrowly missing Scirocco's head as he dived out of the way. The dustbin toppled over and Jordan spilled onto the pavement, clambering to her feet amidst a pile of rubbish.

Bubblez landed in front of her, where it wobbled momentarily and then stopped spinning.

"Scorpius, sting shower her!"

Jordan grabbed her bey and sped down the alleyway. At the very end, there was light – but, as she looked back, the devilish form of the great, red scorpion loomed over her, and the orange bey was shooting at her, needles flying from all directions…

"No… it's going to…"

Scirocco's eyes were fierce as he charged after her. She was going to be hit by the attack before she reached the opening…

She halted and braced herself for the pain, clasping her head as she breathed into the ground; but there was none.

Instead, she felt a rush of icy cold wind gush past her, Scirocco's cry of shock, and the ripple of needles landing everywhere but on their intended target.

Sensing an opportunity, Jordan stood up and barely offered her saviour a fleeting glimpse before she burst through the opening at the end of the alley, dragging elongated breaths.

She looked back, and saw Scirocco burst from the same opening as if he'd been thrown. His Scorpius bey flew past him, carried by the momentum, along with Bubblez and – Jordan cried out – Dromeda and Leonine.

Scirocco picked himself up. "Aha!" he said, grabbing the two beys. "At la – "

Jordan threw herself at him, head-first, and tried to pry the beys from his grip. Behind them, Electra and the unmasked Jackie walked into the road.

"Scirocco!" shouted Electra.

"Uh, little help here?!" Scirocco shouted, struggling to push away the twelve-year-old girl.

The rest of Ripmongers, along with Chantelle and Stanley, pummelled down the road. They caught the attention of all the kids, whose faces were pressed up against the glass of the buildings they were hiding in.

"Jackie!" Chantelle squealed.

Jackie's head turned. "'lo, Chantelle. Hey, Fishy."

"Don't call me Fishy!" Nemo shouted at him.

"GUYS, HELP ME!" Jordan yelled, her grip on their beys loosening.

Maxie made to run at him, but Nemo held her back.

"Wait a sec," she said, "Jordan, just give him our beys. Let him have them."

Jordan turned to Nemo, dumbstruck. Scirocco seized the beys and howled with laughter.

"Alright!" he said, attaching Dromeda to his pistol launcher. He shot it at Jackie, who didn't move. "Andromeda, get'm!"

Dromeda landed on the ground, but instead of going for Jackie, it did a U-turn and went back at Scirocco. Nemo stepped forwards, grinning at the bandit's change of expression.

"Andromeda, Vixen Storm attack!" she ordered.

They saw his shocked face disappear behind an enormous funnel of sand. Jordan was swept off her feet and landed a distance away, her clothes plastered in the three obscenities of dirt, blood and garbage. Chantelle and Ashley rushed over to her to check on her.

When the vortex cleared, Scirocco was moaning on the ground, hardly able to move. Dromeda circled him freely, and then returned to Nemo's grasp. She caught the bey happily as it sped toward her.

"Just as I thought," she said, "it doesn't matter who launches the bey as long as the bit is yours. They never betray their owners."

"Excuse me, but are you Jackie?" Ashley asked the boy standing next to Electra. "As in… JACKIE? Because if you are, you have no idea how much trouble you've caused us and this entire valley!"

Jackie was about to answer, when he noticed Owyn walking to his fallen teammate. He stood over Scirocco, leering.

"So," he said, "you actually had the nerve ta' try and steal another person's bit, did ya'? That's the final straw, you're off the team. I don't wanna' be teammates with someone who takes stuff that doesn't belong to 'em. Electra's going too if she helped."

Electra looked at the ground, tearfully. Owyn ignored her and turned to Jackie.

"Finally decided to turn up, did ya'?"

"You say you don't like people who steal other people's bit-beasts," said Jackie, coldly, "but you're trying to steal mine."

"I ain't stealin' nothin'. Your bit belongs to me, as I explained in my letter." He retorted.

Jackie walked forward to meet him. They glared at each other from opposite sides of the dirt path.

With help from Chantelle, Ashley pulled Jordan away. Nemo and Maxie were transfixed on the battle that was about to unfold before them.

The two boys gripped their launchers.

"You ready?" he asked. Jackie nodded, Glaseus at hand. "Alright. If I win, you know my conditions. If you win… Perseus is yours. Three, two, one – "

Both beys landed before them. They kicked up dust from the momentum of landing, and then instantly went on the attack.

Glaseus came at Aquil, but was knocked away, harmlessly. Aquil returned the favour and started shredding at Glaseus, pushing it back effortlessly.

Jackie stood back. A cloud of dust formed as his bey was pushed back. Owyn grinned. This was what he'd been waiting for. This was it, he thought.

Ashley had her RPM-measuring remote out again. She checked it and pocketed it, passively.

"It's just as I thought," she muttered, "Owyn's bey is spinning even faster than before. Jackie can't hope to win by facing him head-on, so what will he do?"

Glaseus broke free of Aquil's grip, and then veered towards the climbing frame; Aquil trailed behind it, relentlessly.

Glaseus darted in between each bar effortlessly, but Aquil struggled to do the same. As it turned, it slowed down, and then couldn't speed up in time before hitting the next pole.

Jackie grinned. "That's it."

"What the… how are you doing that?!" Owyn demanded. He knelt down and peered at his bey from ground level. Why wasn't it evading the bars as easily as Jackie's?

"So that's what he's doing!" gasped Ashley, making the others jump, "he knows Aquil is spinning faster, and that means he's got less control over his grip! He can't cut the turns as easily!"

"No offense, Ashley, but can you shut up? I'm trying to watch." Nemo said.

"C'mon, Aquil, let's show him what we're made of." Owyn said. He jumped back, and Aquil sped out from underneath the climbing frame. It used the bars to propel itself into the air, and as Jackie looked up, he could almost see a bit that took the form of an eagle, materialising above them…

Owyn grinned, skidding to a halt in the sand. "Dive bomb!"

Aquil shot down again, and pierced through the bars like butter. Glaseus barely pulled from the wreckage in time before the entire structure collapsed in a heap on the ground.

Electra clapped a hand over her mouth. Chantelle, Maxie and Ashley looked horrified.

Owyn knelt down, smiling at his bey. "You know, they say the bell tower 'ere's haunted by a ghoul. That's why this place is called Ghoul Valley," he said, eyes fixated on his blade. "… That ghoul… is the spirit of me ancestor. She waited for the Perseus bit every day to her death, but she never retrieved it. You know… it once belonged to my family, right? You know about its history, right?"

He stood up, glaring at Jackie. Slowly, Jackie nodded.

"I do."

"Well, then – before I tear your bey into pieces like that climbing frame, I'll give you a chance. Give me Perseus, and you won't have ta' battle me no more."

"You're wrong," he said, calmly. "Bit-beasts are familiars, they're not family heirlooms. They're spirits with feelings… they choose their masters, and Perseus chose me."

Owyn's eyes turned cold. "Y'know, I like you. You're powerful, but don't say you didn't ask for it. Aquila – dive bomb! Shred that bey to pieces!"

"No! Jackie!" Chantelle screamed.

"It's over," Maxie said, weakly, "that attack's too strong. Looks like you aren't going to get a rematch, Nemo, 'cause his bey's toast."

Aquil sped up the nearby slide and took flight again. It hovered over Glaseus, and then shot down. The eagle bore its wings as it came in for the kill…

Jackie's eyes flashed. An icy wind drifted around his bey as he said, "Perseus, Cold Storm!"

Nemo's eyes widened. His bey became wrapped in a silvery blue mist that encased it like a force-field, the air around it dropping twenty degrees.

She blinked. A white leopard with black eyes and icicles for whiskers seemed to be emerging from the bey, to meet Aquila, its claws outstretched…

There was a gush of wind, and either blader was obscured by a thick cloud of dust. Jordan stirred and got to her feet, coughing like the others as she struggled to see through the mist…

And then there was Jackie…

Jordan stared at his back, and her expression of shock slowly turned to one of love as the dust began to settle.

Maxie appeared by her side. "What happened? Who won?!"

The bit-beasts had disappeared. In between the two opponents was a large hole where the path had been unearthed in the intensity of the fight. One bey continued to spin in the middle – the other one had drawn to a halt beside it.

Owyn coughed and emerged from the dust. He glared down at his bey. "No… way…"

"He did it!" cheered Chantelle, throwing her hands into the air. "He did it! Jackie won! Jackie beat him!"

"He – did?" Ashley stammered. Almost as soon as these words escaped her lips, there was a tremor as dozens of children poured out into the street, cheering and rushing into the park to reclaim their play-den at last.

The bandits' regime was over.

Jackie picked Glaseus up and walked to the gate, not wanting to be engulfed by the children. Before he went, he stopped beside Owyn.

"The reason Perseus was never bought to your ancestor," he began, "was because it was never the councillors' to give away. Bit-beasts choose their familiar, like I told you… just like Aquila chose you. Until you accept that and start believing in the bit that chose you… you won't beat me."

He couldn't suppress a smirk as he added, "good battle, though."

Owyn considered his bey for a moment. An uncharacteristic smile took his face. "You too, man."

"Jackie!" Chantelle shouted, scuttling through the crowd of people to hug him. "That was awesome!"

Nemo and the rest of the team walked up to meet him, too.

"He was okay," Maxie said, rolling her eyes.

"Good match." Ashley smiled at Jackie, who couldn't help but return it.

"Yeah, that was brilliant, mate." Stanley nodded.

Jordan seemed to be leaning toward Jackie, drooling, eyes twinkling. Nemo sighed and pushed her away.

"So, you ran away after all?" Jackie asked her.

"Of course. Told you, I hated the dump that I lived in." she said.

"You must've loved your friends and sister very much if you took them with you."

"Actually, that's another story," she snapped, as he grinned comically. "Hey… not that it matters or anything, but I actually thought Owyn was right at first. But I agree with you, now that you mention it. They choose their masters, if the bit didn't choose him then that's his problem."

"She's just saying that 'cause she hates the idea of Andromeda being passed down to one of her little sisters," Maxie jibed.

"Well, maybe I do, actually."

"They choose their FAMILIARS, Nemo. Not masters." Jackie corrected her.

"Yeah, whatever."

Maxie crossed her arms and stuck her bottom lip out. "Don't blame him for trying, though. Wish I had a bit."

"That's probably why we couldn't find anything in the library! If the councillors never owned the bit – there would've been no recorded transaction, no formal agreement," said Ashley, "still, you did fantastic battling him, Jackie!"

He turned to Nemo. His deep blue eyes were serious again.

"You still wanting to crash in Clow?"

Nemo blinked. "What?"

"You said you wanted to stay in my hometown when you ran away, remember?"

"Oh, yeah… yeah, that's where we're going, why?" she replied, over Maxie's annoying tongue-clicking.

"It's Saturday, that's change-over day for most of the hotels and inns. If you book now, you might find a nice place to stay, but that depends if you're fast walkers or not 'cause we're running out of time."

Nemo rounded on Jordan and Maxie. "You hear that? No holding us up, or we'll leave you behind!"

"Shut up, we're only slow because of Jordan and her boy withdrawal!" Maxie flared up, but unawares to her and the rest of the team, Jordan's ailment had quite lifted; she was staring at Jackie with a longing fascination, enchanted by those deep blue eyes and that dark mat of hair…

"We can't afford to stay here long anyway, not when Chantelle's friends are so worried about where she is."

Chantelle blushed a comical shade of red. "Oh – I made them worried? I didn't mean to – I just wanted your bit-beast to be safe…"

"Yeah, I know. Electra told me you beat one of the bandits… I'm proud of you for that." Jackie said.

"I couldn't have done it if you hadn't taught me, Jackie!" she said. "But, um, it came at a horrible price. I don't have a bey any more, actually. It broke just after I won, and my mum will never buy me a new one now I broke the first."

"If you want, I'll buy you a new one as a present," he grinned, and turned to the others as Chantelle clapped her hands together excitedly. "How long will you stay in the city?"

"Well, us four," Ashley said, gesturing to herself and each of the others, "have formed a team in the meantime; the Rebellion Ripmongers! We're all staying together until the inter-school sports event, when we're going to fight as the beyblading team for Gaia, like… like we arranged when we left."

She grimaced, and added:

"… and then we're splitting up again, and going our separate ways. Jordan, Maxie and I are going back to the city, and Nemo… well…"

"Can't wait to be alone." Nemo said dryly, making Jackie smirk.

"You guys not sticking together?" Stanley asked, frowning.

"No." Ashley replied, frowning.

"That reminds me." Nemo said, "partly the reason I came up here was because the competition's better here. So as soon as we get back and find a room, I want to battle you again, Jackie."

"Heh, good luck with that." Chantelle said. Pointing a finger at him, she said "Jackie is the best beyblader I know!"

"Wish I could go with you too, guys," Stanley sighed. "Eh, never mind. I like it here in the valley too much. Who knows, maybe the streets won't be so deserted in the afternoons now."

He spared a look at Owyn who was sitting on the swings, isolated from the dozens of other kids that now flocked the park.

"Hope everything turns out okay at Clow. If you ever need another team player, give me a shout, won't ya'? 'Cause that sports day thing sounds like fun."

Ashley smiled. "Will d- "

"Only if you're strong enough, I don't want any more weaklings on the team. Two weaklings is enough." Nemo cut across her, making Maxie hiss like a steaming kettle.

They waved their last goodbyes to Stanley, checked their campsite to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything, then began their long hike up the hill. Chantelle and Jackie raced each other up, leaving the Ripmongers to struggle under the weight of their luggage. Soon the road fell away and left them traveling straight into the thickset of a wood, but as the path got more hazardous, so the view of the valley and surrounding villages became more eye-catching and it took Nemo's continued to insistence to keep Ashley and Maxie from stopping to admire the sight below.

But the best view was offered to them when they got to the top of the hill. Blazing sunshine met their eyes and they were greeted by the twinkle of the city below, nestled comfortably within the hills.

For the first time since they'd left, Nemo smiled.

She wouldn't be part of their team for long. It was like Ashley said, they would part ways soon. Then she could return here, get a job and stay somewhere nice. Maybe if she saved enough money she could buy a house when she was older, all the while becoming a better blader.

This must be what contentment felt like.

"… It's ever so good of you to come all this way, Miss Maiden, we really appreciate it…"

"Oh, no, no, don't be so silly, Mrs. Perone! It's no problem for me at all!"

Corina sat in the reception area. The voices coming from the door opposite her were unnerving.

The woman continued: "… as deputy head of MINDERS, I assure you, Mrs. Perone – we will bring your daughters back here, safe and sound. Thank you for the information you have provided me today, but now I must question Corina. She may know something that we don't! I will not be long – hopefully."

With a light-hearted titter, the woman rounded on the door and flung it open. Corina had been expecting it, she knew she'd been bought here to be interrogated. The stout woman before her –barely old enough to have graduated herself – stood over her, peering down at her through eyes thick with mascara.

The woman smiled. "You must be young Corina! Come, there is no need to be afraid, you are not in any trouble, silly!"

Corina managed a grimace back. The woman sat opposite her in the office.

"Corina, my name is…"

"I know, Miss Maiden." Corina said, "I heard you talking in the room opposite me, ma'am."

"Ah, yes – did I speak so loud? Or you must have good ears," the woman laughed, "but – that would make wording my next question a lot easier, wouldn't it?"

She peered at Corina, smiling pleasantly – almost too pleasantly. Corina's eyes darted to the ground.

"Perhaps you know what I'm going to ask you?"

"Is it… to do with where Nemo went?"

"Right!" the woman clapped her hands, cheerfully. "So, do you know, then? Come now, Corina. There is nothing to be afraid of. We agree – and your parents, too – that what you did was extremely brave that night, and we are all so, so proud of you. If you have any further information that could help in the recovery of your sisters and friends, please be willing to share it, and do your parents and I prouder still."

Corina peeled her eyes off the floor so that they met hers. The words came almost mechanically from her mouth: "they're going to Clow."

Who was she to lie? Hadn't Ashley told her all about Nemo's plan back in the park, what seemed like a century ago now? She desperately wanted Nemo and the others to come back home, and she'd do anything to achieve it even if it meant betraying her dear old friend, Ashley.

The woman's face burned with satisfaction. Her eyebrows almost disappeared into her fringe. "Thank you, Corina. You will not regret divulging me this information, I assure you."


	13. Chapter 13 - Cabin Fever

**Chapter 13** – **Cabin Fever**

Dana heard him before she saw him.

Shelby was next to her, blabbering away nonsensically when she said: "Hide me."

"What?" Shelby stared at her friend, who was now climbing into her own locker. She thrust textbooks and P.E equipment out of her way as she wriggled into it.

"Hide me." Dana repeated. "Quickly. Before he comes. Shut the locker. Now!"

Shelby pushed the locker door to. She hadn't quite fathomed Dana's unusual request, when she saw him: lanky, ginger, a wicked grin on his face, escorted through the corridor by the usual pair of cronies on either side of him.

"Oh." She muttered, "Josh. Right."

"Good morning, sweetheart!" Josh said as he approached.

"Good morning, Josh!"

He stopped in front of her and leaned against the locker where Dana was shut inside – Shelby watched him carefully to make sure he hadn't noticed.

"You ain't seen your friend Dana anywhere, have you?"

"Dana? Oh – no, not since assembly this morning!"

"Ah, right. WELL, if you do see her, tell her from me – "

"Josh, I hate to break it to you, but Dana's – well, she's seeing someone. Tall guy from the hockey team in General County… I think you should find someone else…"

Shelby kept her fingers crossed, hoping the excuse would suffice on behalf of her friend.

Josh, however, threw back his head and laughed. "You got me all wrong. I don't have time for dating any more, I'm a beyblading student rep and I've gotta' train up for the inter-school sports event. Or weren't you listening in assembly? It's in two weeks."

"Beyblade?" She said. "But I thought the teams were all disbanded after Nemo… you know…"

"Yeah, I know what Nemo did 'cause I was there, I'll have you know," said Josh, silkily, "but nah, teams have been reinstated. Probably thought my talents were too good to decline."

"I'm sure." Shelby could feel a sweat-drop materialising on her forehead.

Go away already, she thought…

"So I guess the next time you'll be seeing me is in the sports arena, where me and the rest of the team will take the beyblading rounds. A win for Gaia is a win for mankind! Or, you know what I mean."

He exchanged smug looks with his cronies. It was convenient that the bell rang, because Shelby's urge to punch him was mounting.

"Well, see you. If you see Dana, tell her the headmaster wants to see her in his office, pronto."

"What? Why?"

"Don't ask me, but it must be bad. They never give out punishments on the last day of term. If she gets suspended, tell your friend I'd love to hear the reasoning."

"Why, you – "

She made to grab his collar, but a flock of moving students separated them and he slipped into the passing crowd.

"That rat!" she shouted as the locker door flew open beside her.

Dana brushed herself down as she stepped out. "Just ignore him, Shelby… I'm not in trouble, he's fibbing, you know, like he always does…"

They walked to Science, dreading every step – their end-of-term test was today.

As the teacher was handing out the papers, Jodie burst into the classroom and said, "excuse me, miss – Dana has to come with me and Cinthia to the headmaster's office, immediately! It's, like, urgent!"

All eyes were on Dana, who slipped down in her seat a few inches.

Was she really in trouble? What had she done?

They walked silently to the office. They knocked on the door and an unfamiliar voice answered them, "come in."

Cinthia was already there. They were beckoned in – not by Billiot – but by a much younger woman neither of them had seen before.

The woman was poised next to the window, her back to them. "Thank you for coming, ladies. I'm sure you know why you're all here."

"We're getting suspended?" said Dana, frantically.

"We're getting dismissed early?" said Jodie.

"We're getting financial support?" said Cinthia.

"Don't be so silly!" the woman said, with a quivery little laugh, "no, nothing like that. Maybe I should introduce myself! My name is Devin Maiden. I'm the deputy head of MINDERS. Maybe you have heard of… no? Ah, well…"

"We deal with particularly… severe cases of student misbehaviour. We work closely alongside schools to carefully ensure that every misbehaving pupil is met with the disciplinary measures required to amend their behaviour in accordance with school rules. Education is an important part of one's life, is it not?"

The three girls looked at each other. None of them seemed to know what to say, although it was quickly dawning on Dana why she may have summoned them here.

"We're currently investigating the disappearances of those four schoolgirls. Your two sisters, Cinthia. And your sister too, Jodie."

Cinthia appeared uninterested. She looked unlike herself without her phone clutched in one hand.

Devin turned to face them with a patronising little smile. "Surely you must know…?"

"We do." Dana said.

"Which ones ran away again? I always muddle them up, they all look the same to me!" Cinthia interrupted.

"So, did you like, find them?!" Jodie asked, impatiently. "I, like, have nails to trim here! I can't stand around all day, miss!"

"As a matter of fact, yes, we know where they're going," Devin told them, still smiling contently. "A reliable source has informed us that they're heading for the city of Clow."

Dana clapped her hands together. Jodie and Cinthia didn't look so happy.

"So, like, what's that got to do with us?"

"We need your help. We need you to go to Clow and ensure our retrieval of them is… successful."

"Why US, anyway?" Cinthia asked. "Can't the police take care of all this? Sorry ma'am, but I've got a boyfriend to be with, a social life to maintain and mama's gonna' KILL me if I don't get a part-time job this summer!"

"Maybe this is our secret mission, like in the movies!" Dana squealed. She cupped her hands around her eyes and said, "we're spiiies!"

"You were chosen because the headmaster said your particular connections with those girls were strongest." Devin snapped, suddenly irritable. "We are dealing with four troublesome schoolgirls. There is no need for our already overworked police force to get involved."

The girls spluttered.

"So you're making us do their dirty work…? Isn't that unfair?" said Dana.

"I have a life! I can't be doing with this chasing after Naomi and – what's the other one's name?" Cinthia asked.

"Yeah, I don't need Jordan!" Jodie protested, "she's just ONE of my siblings! I've got three more where that came from!"

Devin recomposed herself, and smiled.

"Well, then, that's a shame. If you were agreeable, of course, your efforts would not have gone unrewarded!"

"Rewards? What rewards?"

"Well, Miss Halliday, is it not currently your ambition to become the lead cheerleader of the team?" said Devin. "That could easily be arranged… if you accepted."

Jodie fell silent. Devin diverted her attention next to Cinthia.

"And you, Miss Perone – always on your mobile phone, I hear – perhaps you're aware of the latest Motorola make? It's the most expensive thing on the market, but MINDERS will pay anyone who wishes to help the association."

Cinthia's jaw dropped.

Now it was Dana's turn to be subdued. Devin loomed over her, snarling.

"I am told you harbour a strong admiration for Vitale, the ex-hockey player from General County."

Dana's heart did a backflip at the mention of his name. How did she know?

She went on, "MINDERS will be assisting with the inter-school sports event, of course. We can introduce you to him then, if that is what you wish."

Dana tried to speak, but she couldn't manage to say a word through all the drool. Devin smiled smugly as she let the children comprehend their respective offers.

"Okay, now I'm interested – looks like we all are, in fact. As in, we'll do it. Just tell us what you want us to do." Cinthia said, finally.

Clow was comparatively a lot more serene and peaceful than Gaia, but none of the Ripmongers had time to enjoy the sights. They'd looked around for the best available offer to them, and settled on a shabby inn on the outskirts of the city, student rep badges at hand.

Between them, Nemo had the most significant amount of money because she'd saved up prior to the trip, but she didn't have enough to keep them fed until the sports event began. She insisted each morning that they frisked the streets of the city in search of work.

"When I was getting ready to run away by myself," she told them one day, "I had it all planned out. I was gonna' arrive at Clow, get a job and save up until I could buy a house. With you guys around, I have to do four times less work!"

Maxie was the only one tall enough to do modelling, so she walked around the city centre sporting various brands.

Meanwhile, Nemo and Ashley walked around neighbourhoods as a two-piece garden-tending group. Nemo did the lawn and Ashley trimmed the bushes. Jordan went with them on hot days and sold lemonade from a fold-up wooden stand that they took with them every time they switched locations. You could call it a stand, but it was really just a wooden panel that Nemo had accidentally knocked loose when she'd crashed the lawnmower into someone's fence. The wooden panel was supported by a pair of stolen traffic cones.

"Nemo, do you really think Jordan can be trusted selling lemonade?" Ashley asked her one day, "You know I love her, but she's a bit of a blonde, she'll probably leave the ice in the Sun and it'll melt."

"Nah, she sells well. Better than if any of us did it." Nemo shrugged.

Ashley peered over the bush she was trimming. Nearby, Jordan had just sold lemonade to three boys and she was jumping up and down, cheering, "you just bought some lem-on-ade! Enjoy and have a love-ly day! If it rots your teeth, then that's okay! I do this job just for the pay!"

Ashley turned away and said, "eh, maybe you're right."

That evening, Nemo offered them a rare treat by booking a table at a good-looking place called the Blue Moon café.

"Mm, nothing like posh pizza to hit the spot!" Maxie roared, forcing pizza into her mouth. Most of the toppings missed and splattered the top she was supposed to be advertising.

"Ew," Nemo said. "That reminds me of when me and Jackie did that pizza-making contest together."

"Speaking of Jackie, we haven't seen him since the day we booked that room," Ashley said.

"Yeah, I wonder where he is. I'm not going anywhere 'til I've had my rematch with him." Nemo mumbled. She looked sideways at Jordan, who stared dreamily into the distance.

"Jaaackie…"

"Oh, get over yourself," Nemo snapped.

"Jordan's talkin' funny! Did you make her do overtime?!" Maxie demanded, "I still don't see why we have to get jobs! Jobs are for adults!"

"Well, you wouldn't see why, because you don't have to pay our bills!" Nemo hollered back at her. "Money doesn't grow on trees, idiot!"

"What did you call me?!"

"Hey now, calm down!" said Ashley, standing up and waving her hands. "People are watching… do you want to get us kicked out? Look, here comes the waiter!"

Maxie crossed her arms and glared in the other direction. "I'm not an idiot, I got a high score on the Popmaster trivia arcade game today."

"No you didn't," Nemo said.

"Yeah, go look at the machine if you don't believe me!"

Nemo clenched her fists tightly on the table.

"You didn't play games, because you were modelling around the city all day to help pay for this evening meal. Right?"

Maxie gasped and a trickle of sweat ran down her forehead.

"I mean – I – "

"Maxie, if you skipped work…"

"Um…"

Nemo exploded with fury and made to grapple Maxie's neck, when the waiter arrived at their table. He was short with a quintessential Italian moustache and wearing a long chef's hat.

"Buon appetito?" he said.

"Si!" replied Ashley.

He lowered a silver platter down onto the table. Maxie and Jordan leaned in hungrily, expecting a dessert, but when he lifted up the lid, all they saw was a bill.

"Pronti a pagare?"

Nemo clasped her collar anxiously. "Uh… yeah… about that…"

"We've got a bit less cash when we thought when we stopped by," said Ashley apologetically, "but – er, we'd be happy to clean any amount of dishes…"

"Hey!" Maxie hollered at the waiter, "we haven't had ice-cream yet! What gives?!"

The waiter stared at her. "We no offer dessert to rowdy children. Addio."

"Rowdy? Do you know who I am?!" she bellowed, making other customers stare. "I'm the beybladin' champion of Clow! Yep, I'm a known pro around here, so watch what you say!"

Ashley blinked. "Maxie…"

But suddenly, the waiter dropped the lid with a clash and shot her a look of contempt. "Girl stupida! Non sei bravo a beyblade! You no good!"

"Oh yeah? Watch this!"

Maxie dived for her launcher. Before any of her teammates could stop her, she'd aimed straight up at the sky and pulled the rip cord.

"Let it rip!" she shouted.

Leonine ascended a few yards over their heads, then changed direction at the peak of its climb and shot straight back down at the waiter.

Smirking, the waiter simply tilted his head to one side and evaded the oncoming bey. It landed in front of a nearby waitress, who cried out in shock and dropped the stack of plates she was carrying.

Another waiter looked around in rage. "No beyblading allowed!" he said, storming toward them. "No! No beyblade! Pay your bill and get out! Go! Shoo!"

The team leapt to their feet. Nemo knew they didn't have enough to pay the bill, and she half considered doing a run for it when the short waiter with a moustache leaned in to whisper to her: "Get ready to go. I'll distract them."

Nemo blinked. The waiter let a launcher slip an inch down his sleeve, where it had been concealed. He pulled out a bey and attached it.

Seconds later, his bey, a blue one, shot across the ground unnoticed. It stopped underneath a table where a young family was bickering, causing the table legs to give way and send platters of spaghetti bolognaise crashing to the ground.

Nemo grabbed the other three, and without a word, ushered them to the gate and out into the road. She didn't stop dragging them until they were well away from the café.

"The waiter launched his bey as a distraction," Nemo said, "good thing too, I'm not cleaning any dishes today."

"Oh my goodness!" cried Ashley, dropping to her knees. "Do you think they'll call the police - ?"

"Nah, I paid for you."

They looked around. It was the short waiter from before. He was leaning against the adjacent wall, arms crossed.

"Thanks, dude, you're a lifesaver," Nemo said.

He smirked. "Sure thing, newbies."

"Newbies?" Maxie repeated. "Who the hell are you?!"

The waiter stepped forward and ripped the fake moustache off his face, then lowered his chef's hat. The team gasped, except for Jordan, who stared at him longingly, and Nemo, who simply said "I thought as much."

"So you're all still here?" Jackie sighed, putting the hat down.

"You!" Maxie pointed at him.

"So you weren't the waiter!" Ashley piped up.

"Nah, my father just leases the property. I sometimes do minor chores at the café." Jackie said. "I put down some meal vouchers for you, by the way, so you don't have to worry about not paying. But don't avoid the question. Why're you all here and not at General County?"

"General County…?" Maxie repeated, confused.

"It's where the inter-school sports event takes place, Maxie." Ashley informed her.

"Oh…"

"We don't need to be there. The event isn't until the eleventh of August." Nemo said.

"Which means you should be out there warming up," Jackie said, closing his eyes. "You can't expect to win as you are now. You don't have a chance."

"That is so true!" Jordan squealed, beaming at Jackie. He glanced at her and backed away.

"Nah, it'll be a piece of cake. Remember what you said about school players being weak?" Nemo jeered at him.

"They're a piece of cake by Clow's standards. But you're newbies, you have to train." Jackie said, testily.

"Newbies…?" Maxie repeated again, but Nemo cut across her.

"Hey, I'm not a newbie," she said, firing up. "I've been beyblading for about a year."

"I've been blading about four."

Nemo balled her hands into fists, and bit back a retort.

"Whatever."

"Hey, you're one to talk!" Maxie said, jabbing a finger at him. "I could beat you easily! In fact, I challenge y- wait, where's my bey?!"

She felt in her pockets anxiously, until Jackie pulled out Leonine and threw it lightly to her.

"Typical newbies, leaving their beys lying around."

"Don't put me in the same league as my stupid little sister," Nemo said. She turned away and looked out across the neighbouring road. "I'm no newbie. I'd never leave my beyblade lying around. My bit means everything to me."

Jackie smirked and pulled out his own bey.

"I know how you feel," he said, quietly. "So, here's a deal. You owe me for the meal vouchers, so if I win, you buy me an ice-cream at the cabin."

"I accept your challenge." She said, "didn't I tell you? I've wanted a rematch with you this whole time. You just haven't been around."

"Brill. You're gutsy for a newbie."

"Don't expect it to be like last time, though. I've got better." She continued, "I know about harnessing my emotions now."

They walked to the cabin on the north-west side of the city. It was a long way from where they were, but Nemo enjoyed flexing her legs, getting pumped for the battle ahead.

When they got there, they stood at opposite ends of the dish. Around them, the area was packed.

"Plenty of people to watch me beat you!" Jackie joked.

"You wish," Nemo snarled, flipping her launcher out.

"Nemo could actually win this battle, she does have a new trick up her sleeve after all." Ashley said to her comrades. "What do you think, Jordan?"

There was a pause. "Jordan?"

Jordan was on the floor, blushing furiously, barely coherent. "Jaaackie…" she mumbled.

"You guys ready?" Maxie said, "three – two – one!"

"Let it rip!" Nemo and Jackie said together.

They tugged their rip cords and both Dromeda and Glaseus landed in the arena.

Dromeda entwined the edge of the dish before coming at Glaseus, but it slid out of the way. Dromeda swerved and moved towards the centre of the dish, while Glaseus circled the outside.

"Now I've got you," Nemo said to herself. "If I'm in the middle, I can wait and dodge any attack you throw at m – hey!"

Glaseus had pulled in and sat comfortably next to Dromeda. Nemo looked up and saw Jackie with an unbearably smug smile on his face.

"There's not room for both of us!" Nemo leered, and Dromeda slammed into Glaseus, suddenly on the offensive again.

Jackie watched, silently. Dromeda pushed Glaseus to the edge of the dish, forcing it into the air…

"Nemo, you are SUCH an idiot! Haven't you learned anything? Isn't that what Jackie did last time?" Maxie hollered, smacking the floor. "That's his strategy, he's wearing you down!"

"Stay out of my battle!" Nemo demanded, but deep down she knew Maxie was right.

Dromeda tried to dodge, but Glaseus was too fast and slammed into it from above, leaving it wobbling dangerously in the centre of the arena.

"He'll be expecting the vanishing attack," Nemo thought to herself, "I guess I have to pull out my secret weapon. I've been perfecting my Vixen Storm attack for this moment, after all."

Dromeda arced itself, then shot at Glaseus again. It slammed into it, and, like before, caused it to rise into the air.

"Now's my chance," said Nemo, "Andromeda, Vixen Storm attack!"

She felt the burning desire to defeat Jackie once and for all engulf her. She pointed forward, and a gust of wind erupted promptly from her bey, swallowing the area in front of her.

The grey funnel spiralled upwards and trapped Glaseus whilst it was still airborne. The surrounding beybladers had to move, gasping, pointing, to avoid the miniature storm that now took the centre of the cabin.

Jordan screamed and grabbed Ashley's collar, who nearly choked.

"Where's Jackie?! Is he in the storm?! Will he be alright?!"

"Relax Jordan, I'm sure Nemo – cough – aimed for the bey!" she spluttered.

"Sucks that you underestimated me this whole time!" Nemo jeered. "Your trick of wearing me down won't work now!"

Jackie surveyed her quietly. Without ordering an attack, Nemo could feel the presence of his Perseus bit as the temperature of the room seemed to drop ten degrees and the entire funnel was swallowed by frost.

"What? But that's the Cold Storm attack - !" Ashley gasped.

Jackie folded his arms. Dromeda began to wobble more violently still, as the transformed funnel of icy mist swallowed it up…

"Andromeda," Nemo whispered, feeling her heart race.

The funnel disintegrated and the purple bey was swept from the arena by the very remnants of the freezing gust. It flew over Nemo's shoulder and slammed into the door.

Nemo's back was turned before it fell to the ground.

The crowd burst into applause. Jordan cheered for Jackie. Maxie cursed and punched the ground, and Ashley tried to get to Nemo, who'd disappeared into the surrounding mass of people…

"Nemo! Nemo!" Ashley called. The clapping died in time for her to hear the door slam – it was too late.

She pushed her way through to the window, and saw Nemo trudging up the path, hands in pockets, head down.

Meanwhile, Jordan was preoccupied with talking to Jackie.

"Hi there," she said, sliding up to him dreamily. "I saw your battle… oh, you were AMAZING! I'm Jordan, by the way… I personally don't have much of a craft for beyblading, unlike you, so do you think you could teach me sometime?"

"Sure." Jackie said, before rounding on Ashley. "Where'd Nemo go?"

"Out." Ashley said, coldly. "Which flavour ice-cream did you say you wanted? I'll pay for it and go. I don't have the time or patience to deal with jerks."

Jackie shook his head. "I'm a jerk for winning, am I?"

"You're a jerk for upsetting her!"

"You obviously don't know her very well if you think she's angry with me. She's more angry at herself than anything."

"What do you mean?"

Jackie leaned to pick up his Glaseus bey. He considered it for a moment.

"It doesn't matter."

"No, tell me. What makes you think Nemo's angry at herself?" Ashley demanded. "I think she's angry at you being condescending all the time."

"She hates to fail. She's not the type to pin her shortcomings on other people."

"Whatever!"

Ashley turned on her heel and stormed away. She passed through the crowd and found Jordan and Maxie sitting at one of the tables with some other, unexpected company. The familiar sight that awaited her at the table quickly snapped her out of her angry frame of mind.

"Hey, Ash!" said Jodie, waving.

Ashley did a double-take. "J-Jodie?"

"You know they say whenever there's an awkward silence, a gay baby is born." Cinthia said, mobile in hand as usual. "'Ope! There's another."

"Cinthia, would you quit texting your boyfriend? We have some catching up to do with our old… friends…" said Dana.

"Hey, Jordan! I like, saw you trying to chat up that guy!" said Jodie, pointing at her so-very-similar-looking younger sister. "Sheesh, even way out here you're just as preppy as you are back home!"

"But – how are you here?" asked Ashley, contemplating the presence of Cinthia, Jodie and Dana each in turn. "Don't get me wrong, it's good to see you all… but… has running away from home become the new trend – or?"

Cinthia laughed and forced her into a seat, assuming the one opposite her.

"Nope, but we're just as surprised as you are to see you here. Drinks on me, I think – any preferences?"

Cinthia ordered them all hot chocolates which they all drank, gratefully, except Ashley, who was lost amidst a spiral of conflicting thoughts and feelings.

"… Fancy bumping into you here." Cinthia was saying as she stirred her drink. "Small world, right? You shouldn't have done it, though. Run away, I mean. What made you?"

"Yeah, Jordan! Now you're gone, I have to, like, do the laundry twice as much in your absence!" said Jodie.

Jordan blushed furiously. "I didn't leave just to get away from doing chores, Jodie…!"

"Yeah, we all have a damn good reason for choosing to go with Nemo!" Maxie defended herself. "Maybe if you shut up and listened!"

"Well, whatever the reason is, mum's furious, Maxie." Cinthia said, rolling her eyes.

"And everyone hates you back at Gaia," added Jodie, "they, like, think you betrayed them. Think the whole 'rescue mission' was a stunt to get yourselves out of school, like."

"They fought for you, and when you ran away with Nemo, they thought you'd used them the whole time." Dana added.

Ashley grimaced. "Great."

"Go on, though." Cinthia encouraged her, "you said you had a reason for going with her? Because we're DYING to hear it."

Ashley and the other two explained, briefly, just what happened when they'd chased Nemo up the hill, the formation of their team and the bargain they'd agreed upon, and, finally, their arrival in Clow.

"We're not going to stay as a team forever, though," said Ashley, "once the sports event is done, we're going back to Gaia."

"And Nemo? She's here, right? What about her?" inquired Cinthia.

"Yes, she's here, Cinthia. She's just popped out for some fresh air."

"She's not going back to Gaia any time soon," Maxie answered their unspoken question.

"Gotcha'. Well, I know I shouldn't say it, but I'm glad to hear that. Means she won't hog the T.V back home anymore." Cinthia shot them a wink but only Maxie laughed.

Ashley smiled, weakly. "I don't suppose you know my parents. I've been wondering how they feel about this."

"Well, ours are worried sick." Cinthia said, gesturing between herself and Maxie. "Hey, listen. If Nemo comes, tell her you saw us. We've gotta' be somewhere."

"Be somewhere? Hey, wait a minute!" Maxie shouted, making them freeze in the middle of rising from their chairs. "You haven't told us why you're here!"

It was like they'd been waiting for someone to ask. The three of them pounced on Maxie like finicky cats.

"Why, we're here for the launch of the MINDERS virtual reality station, of course!" Jodie told them.

"Virtual reality, you know, like in the movies!" squealed Dana. She strung her arms together and swung them like she was holding a lightsabre. "Vroom! Except this one is beyblade-themed."

"Virtual reality?" Ashley repeated, nonsensically.

Dana frowned. "Haven't you guys heard of it?"

Ashley and Jordan both said "no" but Maxie surprised them all and said "yes".

Ashley spun round to face her. "What?"

"It's in the same building as the arcade." Maxie said, shrugging. "It was still under construction when me and Nemo first came here, but it's done. I saw an advertisement today."

"You mean you saw it while you were SKIVING off work…!" Jordan added.

"It launches tomorrow," said Cinthia, smirking. "The last sign-ups for a trial run are today. Apparently, candidates are being paid to do the trial! It's well worth it, especially if you're short on dosh and scrapping cheap inn rooms. We're going to sign up now – we'll put your names down too, if you want!"

"Sure!" Maxie and Jordan beamed, but Ashley was still brimming with questions.

"Where did you say you were staying, Cinthia? If you don't mind me asking – Nemo said you were always broke – how…?"

"Well, see you guys tomorrow," interrupted Cinthia, who'd flushed scarlet. "Don't forget your virtual launchers. Just kidding! Buh-bye now!"

And she took Dana and Jodie by the scruff of their necks and pulled them out of the door. It slammed violently behind them.

Jordan and Maxie broke into excited chatter, but Ashley was still gaping at the place they'd disappeared before the door closed on them.

Something seemed oddly fishy about this situation – and that had nothing to do with the scent of cooking seafood that drifted towards her nose from the cabin kitchen. Neither Cinthia nor Jodie seemed like the type of people to come this far out to play video games. The coincidence of running into them was funny in itself, let alone the odd combination of people – Ashley would've never guessed Cinthia, who was three years older than Nemo, had any kind of acquaintance with a pair of people Maxie's age.

After a while, she stood up. She thrust a few notes onto the table.

"There's tip money there as well," she explained. "Stay here for a bit, won't you? Buy an ice-cream or something. I'm going to find Nemo."

She turned and followed the trio out of the cabin.

Ashley walked for five minutes up the northerly road – well, the path, she thought, because civilisation seemed to diminish the further she went up and there was no sign of a car, anyway.

She'd hiked through a small wood before finding Nemo in a clearing. Dromeda was with her. The nearest trees were scarred with shred marks. She'd been beyblading.

"… And who would turn up, but Cinthia, Jodie and Dana?" Ashley said as she continued to divulge her encounter with the trio.

Nemo scoffed, without interest.

"But isn't that strange, Nemo? That they'd just show up way out here?"

Dromeda charged towards the nearest tree and slammed into it. It flew up the bark, shredding pieces off as it went, and shot thirty feet into the air before falling to the ground.

Ashley continued, "they said they were here for the virtual reality thing that's launching tomorrow."

"That's a lie."

"No, I'm hon – "

"Not you, them." Nemo said, coldly. "They've obviously followed us here or something. I don't trust them. None of them knew this city even existed. Don't tell them where we're staying."

"Oh, it's lucky I didn't," Ashley laughed, a bit awkwardly.

She watched Nemo for some time. She couldn't help but feel unwelcome in her presence, so she coughed and pressed on.

"It's okay that you lost to Jackie," she said, conversationally. "I know he was being a jerk and all, but he didn't mean to, I think. You win some, you lose some. And you heard him, he's been blading four times longer than you have, so it's hardly fair."

"Whatever. It's got nothing to do with that." Nemo said, flatly. "Dromeda, vanishing attack!"

Dromeda shot at the next tree and disappeared an inch before it hit the bark. It re-appeared thirty-five feet into the air, then came down and sliced the bark as if it was butter.

Nemo watched her bey hit the ground, and then said: "not high enough. Not strong enough."

"Nemo, I think you expect too much of yourself."

Nemo turned to Ashley, and there was hatred in her eyes – so much so, that she actually stepped back from the force of her look.

"You wouldn't understand, okay? It's got nothing to do with you, Ash."

"But – "

"I worked so hard to perfect that Vixen Storm attack, and all for nothing." Nemo said, "I'm going to find out how to make it even stronger, and I'm not stopping until my bit attack's invincible. Don't tell me what to do."

Ashley didn't bother retaliating. The finality of her tone was as such that she promptly turned around and walked away, knowing the conversation was over.

Maybe it was just another one of her 'scenes' – she'd been Nemo's best friend for a little while now, she knew how uptight she got about things, and there had been angry days like these before, a whole lot of them.

She'd snap out of it.

Jackie watched Nemo train from nearby, unnoticed. He was obscured by a tree a little distance away. After five minutes, he turned and went back down the hill, likewise.

The big screen in front of them cracked and sprung to life. A young man's face appeared before them, enlarged to fit and looking particularly eccentric with those almost opaque glasses and that spiked-up hair magnified twenty times.

"News?" He prompted them.

"Good," Dana replied.

Jodie nodded. "We found them. They were, like, delighted to participate."

"And Nemo?"

"She wasn't with them at the time, but we think she'll agree to do it for the cash reward." Cinthia explained.

"That's great news. I'll forward your message to Devin straight away – the important thing is we know they're here and they've played right into our hands."

Cinthia nodded. "Tell her I can't wait for that new Motorola."

"Can I ask, like, what makes you so sure you'll trap them?" Jodie asked, in her usual girly fashion. "Like, it's virtual reality, isn't it? It doesn't really exist!"

The young man on the screen shook his head at her ignorance. "True, but our virtual reality game incorporates a physical element as well – one that'll ensure, by the efforts of the MINDERS technical department, that Nemo and her friends are… correctly restrained. Feast your eyes!"

He appeared to take the camera and shift it to his right. Standing there was a robot – it took the form of a metallic snowman, with two grey boxes to represent the head and body, and a pair of seemingly extendable arms and legs each. It had a red antennae and a smile imprinted onto its square face.

"Ready to serve!" it said, mechanically.

"What's that?" asked Cinthia.

"SmarterChild!" He announced. "A proto-type of the robot that acts as the 'narrator' of the virtual reality world. Originally, our virtual reality station was just a platform to occupy the MINDERS clients for the summer – kids like yourselves, virtual reality is all the rage…"

"I know about virtual reality. It's an activity. Let's talk about virtual reality!" the robot beeped.

"… But on Devin's request, and in correlation with her plan," the man continued, adjusting his glasses. "We've decided to equip SmarterChild with a few extra features. Your sister will be doing the chores at home soon enough, Jodie…"

Nemo didn't appear to notice the sky darkening around her.

Nine, ten, eleven – the city lights below were starting to go out. She could hear loud music, but she preferred the solitude of her woodland retreat and was thankfully spared the trouble of any stupid party invitations.

It was nearly midnight when Maxie trudged towards her, guided by the powerful floodlights on the surrounding hills.

"What are you doing?" Maxie demanded, disturbing her solitude.

"Practicing." Nemo said. She turned and ripped on her launcher. She pretended to concentrate on Dromeda so she didn't have to face her younger sister.

"What, at midnight?" Maxie said, shrewdly. "You never practice, you're usually way too lazy! If this is about losing to Jackie – "

"This isn't about losing to Jackie, idiot."

"Then what?!"

"It's about losing, period." Nemo explained, "something I can't afford to do any more. Only the strong survive and the weak get crushed, if you're strong you'd understand why I'm doing this, but you're not, so…"

"I'm stronger than you THINK I am!" Maxie said, pointing indignantly. "I beat one of your old teammates, Jamzy!"

"Can you leave me alone now? I'm kinda' in the middle of making a new technique."

"Wait, what do you mean the weak get crushed?" Maxie snorted. "What did you mean by that, fishy? Eh?"

"Don't call me fishy."

"What makes you so – "

Nemo turned, finally.

"In case you don't remember, we had to wait a whole two days in Ghoul Valley because two people who were stronger than us trashed our bey and made us wait for repairs," she said, exasperated. "I'm done with you. Dromeda, attack!"

Dromeda vanished and re-appeared above Nemo's head. It tilted mid-air and swooped in Maxie's direction, its attack ring poised for hitting her…

Maxie gasped, unable to react in time –

A second bey materialised from the darkness and appeared in front of Dromeda, blocking the attack. The two beys fell to the ground as Nemo's eyes flickered to the approximate location the bey had emerged from.

"Hey, newbies." Jackie greeted them, slipping into view.

"How long have you been there?!"

"I just got here," he shrugged, cheekily. "I was here earlier as well with Ashley, but only for a few minutes…"

He retracted an envelope from his pocket, and flicked it at Nemo, who caught it.

"It's the answer to how to make your Vixen Storm stronger, in case you were still wondering."

Nemo pocketed it politely, but vowed never to use it. Arrogant little whelp, she thought to herself. "Thanks, but I don't need your help."

"I'm going." Maxie said, and Jackie was surprised that she didn't look at all unnerved by her older sister's extremist attempt to make her leave.

"Okay."

"I'll be at the disco. Cinthia, Jodie and Dana are there, too. Come quick while the music's still good."

Jackie blinked at her.

"Maxie, Nemo could've killed you then. What do you mean, 'you'll be at the disco'?"

Maxie hardly spared him a glance as she passed him on her way down the slope. "It doesn't matter. Really."

Nemo took Dromeda in her palm, glaring down at them.

"Do you want me to tell him, or shall I, Maxie?"

"Whatever."

She was obscured by shadow, and they heard shouts of "argh! Damn trees!" as she made her way down to the city.

"I take it that means I have to tell you. Whatever, it's not like it's important, anyway."

"What do you mean? Tell me what?"

Nemo sighed. "About our family. About why we treat each other like we do. About why when you see us, we're nearly always fighting. About why I ran away. About why we plan to disband our team as soon as this sports event is over."

"What – what are you talking about?" Jackie asked, and his voice was strained. He looked unlike how Nemo had seen him before; he resembled a child who'd witnessed a particularly frightening scene from a horror film.

She took no notice and carried on.

"In my family we don't really care about each other. My sisters and I don't get along. My parents, I've hated them since I was young. I don't love my sisters or parents, hell, I know how bad that sounds but it's the truth and it's really that simple." She finished.

Jackie was momentarily lost for words, but when he'd found his voice it was alieved of the cockiness and slyness she was used to hearing from him.

"You mean if you went down the hill now," he began, "and you found Maxie dead on the road somewhere, you wouldn't care?"

"Not a bit."

"That's not true."

"You don't know our family."

Jackie observed her. His eyebrows furrowed together, he looked half disgusted by the words coming out of his own mouth.

"I don't get along with my family either, but Nemo… you're wrong. You must love your family, deep down… as corny as that sounds right now."

"The only things I care about are anime, music and my bit-beast."

"Then why'd you run away with Maxie, Ashley and Jordan? Why didn't you just go by yourself if you don't care about anyone else?"

"I keep my promises," Nemo said, "when I was about to run away, I got in a beybattle with my other younger sister and we made a deal. Long story short, I'm going with those guys to keep my end of the bargain, that's just honourable."

"Ashley says you're her best friend."

"Yup."

"So you care about your friends?"

"Nope. Friends are just people I talk to, nothing more. I hate them. I hate everyone, really."

"Do you hate me?" he asked.

"I hate you, especially."

Jackie tilted his head, looking impassive.

"You called me fishy when I asked you to stop, and now you call me a newbie because I'm not as good as you," said Nemo. "Well, one day I'm going to beat you and make you eat your words. I'm going to rub that smile right off your face for all the times you've shown me up, you asshole."

They were silent for a minute. The corners of Jackie's mouth twitched, but he did not challenge her further.

"Let's talk about something else." Nemo suggested.

"Not until you admit it." Jackie said, coolly.

"Admit what? That I love my family?" Nemo asked, raising an eyebrow. "We used to live somewhere far away, on the seaside. I grew up there. It was where I became acquainted with Andromeda. It tore my heart to leave that place, but we had to go because my dad found work in Gaia. I've just not cared about anything ever since."

"I wouldn't understand how that feels, I've only ever lived in Clow," said Jackie, "but Nemooo… your parents, I don't know what happened, maybe they've dragged you through hell and back or something – but you must love them – "

"Let's talk about something else."

"But Nemo – "

"No, if you're going to keep talking about it, I'm going."

She got the vague suspicion he didn't have a clue what he was talking about. He hadn't been through her circumstances, by his own confession, after all. What did he know?

Nemo made her way down the hill, Dromeda at hand. As she passed him she said, "thanks for the envelope, but I don't need your help. I can do it on my own."

She made haste the rest of the way down the slope. The distant sound of partying did not tempt her at all. It was completely unsafe for thirteen-year-olds to be out unaccompanied at a disco at this time of night, but she became dimly aware that she felt untroubled by the possibility of the others not arriving home safely.

It didn't seem long before she was getting ready for bed in the comforts of her oak-panelled room. She climbed into the sheets and stared at the ceiling for a little while.

The other three members of the Rebellion Ripmongers eventually came rapping on the door. Nemo went sleepily to answer them and Ashley was satisfied to see the worst of her tantrum had subsided.


	14. Chapter 14- Bridge over Troubled Bladers

**Chapter 14** **– Bridge Over Troubled Bladers**

For the first time since they'd arrived, Maxie was the first to wake next morning and she did so very noisily indeed.

"Alright!" she shouted, flinging her toothpaste all over the place. "I'm so hyped for this virtual reality game!"

They arrived outside a big building with stone steps leading to the front entrance. Nemo looked around and vaguely remembered she'd seen this building before when they'd taken the wrong bus and ended up stranded miles away from Gaia.

Ashley frowned. "Where is everyone?"

Nemo glared at her. "What do you mean, 'where is everyone'?"

"I know that all the trial candidates are given set times to play," said Ashley, giving her watch a brief glance. "But I still would've expected long queues and big crowds and stuff. This virtual reality thing sounds popular."

"Nah, they just show up when it's their turn, like we are." Nemo yawned. "Not that I care, but where's Jordan?"

Maxie crossed her arms, looking grumpy. "Gone to find that idiot, Jackie. I dunno' what she sees in him. I tried to make her come with us, but nope, she's gone to the cabin to learn how to beyblade better."

Ashley let out a chuckle. "I always thought those two had chemistry. 'Bout time something happened."

"Don't blame her for going." Nemo said.

"What? You mean you have feelings for Jackie too?" said Ashley, smirking.

"No," snapped Nemo, "I'm just saying, I'd rather be practicing than doing this stupid virtual reality thing. And you know what? I wouldn't even be here if I didn't know there was money involved."

A little while later, Cinthia, Jodie and Dana came out of the double doors beyond the stairs.

"Hey, you guys!" Jodie waved over to them.

"Hey, Jodie – Dana – Cinthia! How was it?" Ashley greeted them in turn as they came down the steps, but they didn't seem to pay any notice. They were fixated on Nemo, who of course they hadn't seen the day before.

"You guys are up next." Dana smiled, and Maxie boiled with excitement beside them.

Nemo noticed Cinthia looking at her. "What do you want?"

"Nothing." Said Cinthia, briskly. "Y'know, just looking for something to say to my sister who I haven't seen for almost two weeks and who's been avoiding us since we got here."

"I haven't been avoiding you, I have better things to do than small talk with people who don't mean anything to me," Nemo snapped as she turned to trudge up the stairs. "C'mon guys, it's our turn."

Jodie and Dana gaped after her. Ashley's eyes darted between Nemo and Cinthia.

"Cinthia, I'm sure she doesn't mean that. She was woken up early this morning because of Maxie, and you know how she isn't an early bird – "

"Oh wait, now I've thought of something to say!" Cinthia shouted, snarling. "Mum's FURIOUS at you! And when the authorities find you and bring you back home – baby gurl, you're going to do all the family chores for a MONTH! And I don't give a damn if you stay or leave, so quit pretending I do!"

Nemo disappeared behind the double doors. Cinthia cursed and grabbed her phone.

"She makes me so damn mad!" she hollered. "I'mma text my boyfriend, he always makes me feel better."

Ashley blushed and mumbled incoherent apologies.

"Well, good luck." Dana nodded to them.

"Thanks. Come now, Maxie – "

But Maxie had already darted up the steps, screaming at the top of her lungs. Ashley smiled weakly and followed her up.

"Hm," muttered Jodie, "like, where's Jordan? We gotta' get this plan done properly, or like, we're gonna' get nothing out of this."

Jordan spotted the cabin ahead. Nice and cosy, it was, she thought to herself. A great place to find some common interests with that boy…

She blushed and walked eagerly inside. It wasn't so packed during the day, but there was the odd beyblader about, waiting for a turn at the stadium – was he here? – yes, thank goodness – one of the bladers was Jackie, looking carelessly down at the battle he was a part of. It was easy to distinguish him from the others, those magnetic blue eyes and that dark hair…

Oh, Jackie, she thought…

"C'mon!" his opponent was saying, but his bey's attacks were proving futile.

"Oh, hey Jackie!" Jordan said, marching up to them. "It's me, Jordan… you know how you said you'd teach me how to battle better…?"

The opposing kid gasped and stepped back as his bey flew past his shoulder. Jordan watched it go, and then turned and saw Jackie gazing intently at her.

"Yeah, I remember," he said.

Delighted he'd been true to his words, Jordan nodded. "Yes! Jackie, I – "

He took Glaseus and walked over toward the door. "Let's go."

"But – Jackie? – What's wrong with this place…?"

"Too many people." He said shrewdly, and stepped out.

Jordan cast a glimpse around the room as she exited behind him – there really weren't that many people at all… was he perhaps trying to find them a more intimate location? Her heart leapt at the thought. It was almost too good to be true; she'd come here expecting a challenge to win him over.

She slid dreamily after Jackie as they took the lane up the hill.

"Where are we going?" she said, trying to catch his arm, but he was walking too fast.

"Away from here." He replied, simply.

Nemo, Maxie and Ashley found themselves in a long reception room. At the end of a hall was a pair of sliding double doors, and beyond that a set of booths coveted by curtains that flanked either side of each booth.

The hall was nearly empty. For once, Nemo thought to herself, she wished there were kids around them, shouting and screaming, because then it wouldn't feel so much like they were walking into an ill-conceived trap.

"This is weird," Maxie muttered.

"If you're scared of the dark, now's not the time to say so," Nemo snapped.

"Heroes are never afraid of the dark!" Maxie replied, assuming a battle stance. "I, Maxie, swear by all that is good and right to conquer the forces of evil that lay ahead…"

Nemo and Ashley looked at each other, and sighed.

They approached the receptionist.

"Names?"

"Nemo – Maxie – Ashley," Ashley said, pointing to each of them in turn.

"Ah, yes," the receptionist said, checking their names against her record. She looked up again, and smiled in a mechanical way that made Nemo feel uncomfortable. "Yes, yes... first of all, I'll be needing your beyblades."

Maxie willingly handed hers over. Nemo pushed Dromeda further down into her pocket and said, "Mine's at the repair shop, and Ashley isn't a beyblader."

"Ah, right," she said, taking Leonine from Maxie. "In that case, follow me, girls."

"What gives?" Maxie muttered to Nemo as they walked.

"I don't like this," she muttered back. "You shouldn't have given him your beyblade, idiot…"

"What do you think she's gonna' do, steal it?" Maxie jibed at her. Nemo didn't answer.

She led them to the booths. There were a number of other staff waiting there, and together they fixed a pair of very complicated-looking glasses on each of them, then handed them metal consoles that they explained would act as their launchers in the virtual world.

Nemo could feel the receptionist's hands slipping around the glasses as she adjusted them, almost as if she was worried.

"Yes, there you go," she said, with a grimace, "enjoy your experience on behalf of the MINDERS extracurricular provisions department."

"Thank you!" beamed Ashley as they were ushered into separate booths, the curtains drawn behind them.

Nemo fidgeted uncomfortably in the confines of her booth. A door that seemed to open into further darkness opened behind her. She went through it and joined Ashley and Maxie, whom both appeared disjointed through the lenses of her glasses.

Maxie stared at Nemo as she walked. "Cool! You look taller than me with those on!"

They walked in a tight spiral around a circular wall. There was eerie music playing ahead. Neon green arrows on the walls beside them needlessly guided them along the one-way path. With the glasses on, Nemo had no sense of whether they were ascending, descending, or really moving at all. She could only feel the presence of the other two beside her and hear the music ahead; growing in volume as they rounded the hallway.

"Where are we going?" Maxie asked.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" snapped Nemo, unnerved. "Let's just get this over with so we can claim our cash prize and get out of here."

"You sound worried, Nemo." Ashley said, softly.

Nemo would've shot Ashley a dirty look if she knew she could see it.

Finally, a silver light loomed from the darkness. They approached it apprehensively, and walked into what appeared to be a metallic chamber alive with buzzing.

"What's this?" asked Maxie. Nemo didn't bother replying this time.

A wall came down behind them, sealing the way they'd entered. A screen opened in front of them, and a stout robot with a square body and head appeared.

"Hi guys, I'm SmarterChild! I'm your new robot friend. I salute you!" it said, raising one of its arms rigidly in greeting. Its voice was monotonous as it continued, "Speaking of which, did you know the term 'robot' was first coined in 1921 by a Czech writer called Karel Capek?"

"No, and we don't care," Nemo replied, bored.

"What? Oh, you're right. That doesn't have anything to do with why I bought you here!" it said. "Yes, now that you mention it… I bought you here for entirely different purposes, to request that you undertake a most daunting task, but the fate of my hometown rests on your shoulders. Travellers… are you ready? Do you except my plea for help, on behalf of my hometown of Salem – "

"Can we have our money now?" interrupted Nemo.

Maxie was on her knees, bowing to the robot.

"We accept!" she shouted, theatrically, "we accept your request! We, who swear to conquer the forces of evil…"

Nemo sighed. "Idiot, it's not real."

"Nemo, don't ruin the atmosphere!" Ashley told her, beaming at the robot, which ploughed on as it was programmed to.

"… the wise sage of Salem has asked your help. To vanquish the dragon that has slayed my town and its people… but the only way to do so is by going in my time machine, and kill the dragon in the past. That'll mean the future of the town – which is our present – is saved!" the robot threw its arms above its head in mock celebration. "Er – if that makes sense. It doesn't, right? It's O.K. Those glasses are fitted with an advanced communication system so that we can stay in contact throughout the course of your adventure. In the meantime, beybladers, sit back and enjoy as I blast you into the past!"

"Wait, where did beyblading come into this? I wasn't paying attention." Nemo said.

"Basically, it's saying its hometown was taken over by a dragon that shoots beyblades from its mouth, and now we have to go back in time and defeat the dragon." Ashley recited.

"Oh. Lame."

"Just try to enjoy this, alright? You could be out there mowing the lawn round about now."

SmarterChild grabbed hold of a lever and pushed it down. "Whoopee! Here you – gogogo!"

The screen flickered, the audio became distorted and there was an exaggerated whirring of mechanics in their ears. Nemo grew weary of the cinematic effects.

The door opposite them flew open, and they were blinded by light again. Nemo exited the room behind Ashley and Maxie, walking into the most peculiar thing she'd ever seen.

It was a prehistoric-looking place. A thick patch of forests lay beyond them in the horizon. Ancient-looking monuments were littered in bundles around the landscape. Far away to their right was an ocean, and to their left a hill that peered out over a tribal village. The virtual environment was accompanied by slow music to set the mood.

It took some time for them to register the appearance of the place, but when they had, Ashley mirrored all their thoughts in a single word for them: "Wow."

"I know, right?" Maxie whispered.

"Wonder what it's like with the glasses off." Nemo said, and she loosened the strap that held up her glasses. She peered over the rim of them, and saw that they were in a seemingly endless dark room. Solid components had been placed in the exact region where the equivalent of a tree or monument would be in the virtual world, probably to make the experience even more lifelike, Nemo thought to herself.

Nemo pulled the glasses back around her eyes and admired the scenery once more. There were pterodactyls flying in the distance.

"See you arrived safely! Great!" SmarterChild droned somewhere overhead. A hologram of the real thing appeared in front of them, stuck to the forefront of their glasses wherever they looked. "I've never tested the time machine myself, so it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that something could've gone wrong and you'd never make it out the other side. Sorry I forgot to mention that!"

Ashley let out a chuckle.

"Welcome to the lair of the dragon, the place where it lived for a thousand years before it came and destroyed Salem. In the east, you'll see… oh no, look out! The pterodactyls are coming!"

"What?!"

Nemo looked up. Indeed, the creatures were coming down upon them, wings outstretched. She dived out of the way along with the others, but one of the beast's wings caught her leg as she went. She couldn't feel a thing, of course, but her vision flashed a temporary red.

"My screen just went red, what does that mean?" Nemo asked.

"It means you've lost a life!" Ashley replied. "You've only got nine left, so be careful or you're out of the game!"

"My radar is picking up on some ancient tribal beys situated nearby!" SmarterChild said. "They should be placed on a rock near the village! Quick, hurry and get them before they attack again!"

The birds took flight again. Nemo and the others darted right, to the village, and saw three spinning tops laid out for them on a rock. They grabbed hold of them, and again, whilst there was no solid component to feel, by the visual element of the glasses they could anticipate where they were holding them.

Nemo bought hers to her launcher and shot it at the pterodactyls. Maxie and Ashley did the same. The beys struck the wings of the birds, causing them to screech and change course.

Nemo took hold of her bey as it bounced back at her, and jumped over a pterodactyl wing as it crashed beside her. She shot it right at the bird's face, and the bird flickered and vanished in a cloud of dust, a skeleton appearing in the place it had been conquered.

"Good job, Nemo!" Ashley said.

"Please, it was nothing." Nemo replied, and found, to her horror, that she was beginning to enjoy this game.

"Right… good call, I would've helped you out myself, but I'm a mere machine and I couldn't have done so much as bombard those critters with scientific knowledge. D'you think that would've worked?" SmarterChild continued. "… No, maybe not. Anyway, I can detect a village nearby – best head there straight away and see the tribesmen, I think they might know exactly where the dragon is!"

Ashley turned to them. "Feel like this game could make me a better beyblader, I might take it up! Don't forget to keep your launchers at the read – "

But Maxie had already run into the distance, screaming "WOOHOO!"

Five minutes down the lane, Jackie had led Jordan to a bridge that overlooked the river. Jordan reluctantly took the bank opposite Jackie.

"Why HERE?" she asked, trying to sound more curious than disappointed.

"Your bey has a spring attached to it, right?" Jackie asked, as if he hadn't heard her.

"Yeah, so?"

"If you continuously use the spring to attack," Jackie said, "then your grounded attacks won't be as powerful… you've gotta' learn to attack from the ground as well as from the air."

"Right," said Jordan, "how do I do that, Jackie?"

"We're going to be doing skimming practice."

He pointed to the river in front of him. "Basically, you can't bounce on water, so by beyblading on the water you can snap out of the habit of relying on the spring!"

Jordan tilted her head. "You can blade on the water?"

Jackie flipped out his launcher in response. Glaseus flew across the surface of the river effortlessly and to the other side, where it bounced up. Jordan stretched out her palm to catch it.

"Now you try…"

"Okay!"

Jordan threw his bey back to him and moved her own launcher out. She attached Bubblez to the end and took her stance.

"Let it rip!" she screamed, and watched as Bubblez landed safely on the water – but then sprung into the air and took a nose dive into the water.

"Try again," Jackie said.

"Oh well," Jordan said, bending down to pick it up.

"It's to do with how you launch your bey," Jackie explained, "make sure you launch flat, like you would over a stadium, but also make sure you give your launcher a slight flick as you let your bey go."

"Why don't you come over here and show me…?" Jordan asked him, trying to stop herself drooling over the idea of him touching her.

Jackie smirked and crossed his arms. "If you don't get it after a few times, I'll show you."

Jordan nodded obediently. Joke's on you, she thought to herself: she'd just fail as many times as it took to get him here.

"Let it rip!" she said, flicking her launcher far too hard as she tugged the rip cord.

However, instead of flopping, Bubblez landed on the water and shot across it easily.

"Woah," Jackie said. "That was quick, you must have a natural talent."

"Probably," replied Jordan, dully. She watched as Bubblez did a loop of the water in front of her, skimming effortlessly around it without using the spring.

Glaseus joined it and slammed into it, causing it to bounce into the bank. It barely regained balance as it pulled into the side, wobbling and almost sinking into the water again.

Jordan looked up. Jackie was smirking. "C'mon, fight back, newbie."

"You bet! Go, Bubblez!"

She watched Bubblez chase Glaseus around the water. When it stopped spinning, she took hold of it and launched it the same way as she did before, skimming it across the water again.

"Nice."

"Thanks," said Jordan. "I can feel myself getting stronger already! Do you think I can beat Nemo, Jackie?"

"Nah, Nemo's too strong."

Jordan glared at the top of his head as he watched the battle. She'd hoped he'd say yes just to make her feel better.

Maybe he was just playing hard to get…

Yes, that must be it, she thought. Why would he teach her to battle if he didn't have feelings for her?

This thought cheered her up slightly. She looked around and said, "it's nice when Nemo, Maxie and that other girl aren't here. Don't you think?"

"I guess…?"

"It's… peaceful," she continued, "Clow is a pretty city."

Jackie didn't respond.

"Jackie?" She said softly, "are you okay?"

Glaseus fell back and hit the bank as Bubblez attacked it. It slid up the bank and returned to the ground in front of him.

"Yeah," he said, "I was talking to Nemo last night…"

"About what?" she asked, pleasantly.

Jackie looked up at her. "She was telling me about life back home. About her personal feelings towards people."

Jordan blinked, stupidly. Why was he talking about Nemo all of a sudden? Didn't he have feelings for her? Why wasn't he talking about HER?

"What about her feelings?" she asked. "Did she talk about me or…?"

"Yes and no," Jackie replied.

"What do you…?"

"She said she hated everyone, even her friends. She said she doesn't care about anyone and that she wouldn't care if any of her friends died," he replied, flatly.

Jordan laughed and rolled her eyes, and her almost knowing reaction unnerved him. "Oh, yeah, she's just like that. But let's get back to talking about – "

"What do you mean, 'just like that'?" Jackie pestered her. Glaseus flipped across the bank and met Bubblez, causing it to fly uselessly through the air. "You mean that's normal where you're from, Jordan? That nobody cares about anyone?"

Jordan reached out and caught Bubblez. She kept her hand outstretched and stared at the bey as she returned her reply: "well… no, Jackie, it's not normal. But Nemo's… well, that's just how she is. Back home, she's lazy, complains a lot, watches too much T.V and bullies her sisters and even makes them cry! All the way out here… well, she's really no different at all, minus the T.V bit."

She chuckled and let her hand drop to her side. "She and the others have gone to play some stupid virtual reality thingy… I don't care about video games, of course, I'd much rather beyblade like you, Jackie!"

Anything for the pleasure of his company, she thought to herself.

"Virtual reality?"

"Yeah!" she answered, rolling her eyes. "That new MINDERS virtual reality game that opened recently in town. Like I said, I hate video games so - "

"MINDERS?!"

"Something like that, I'm not sure…"

She blinked. He was clutching Glaseus and looking into her eyes. He looked pale and frantic.

"Jackie – what's wrong…?"

"Jordan," he began quietly, "you've got to show me where they went. Now."

"I thought you were teaching me how to beyblade better…?"

"This is more important. It's… you've got to help me."

"Jackie, stay strong."

She ran across the bridge and dived at him for a hug, but he'd already dodged her advances and was running along the bank.

Resisting the urge to pout, she followed him. "If he's playing hard to get, he sure is doing a good job of it…" she thought to herself.


	15. Chapter 15 - Taking it by Storm

**Chapter 15** **– Taking it by Storm**

Nemo, Maxie and Ashley continued to detour through the virtual world they'd agreed to trial. They'd stopped at the village and asked some very surreal-looking tribesmen for directions. Along the winding path through the forest, they were nearly outnumbered by giant caterpillars that couldn't be beaten with beys; you could only get past them by distracting them.

Plenty of other, smaller, reptilian critters tried to attack them along the way. Ashley was soon running low on lives, so she let Nemo and Maxie get rid of them whilst she retreated. Soon, they were crossing a bridge and taking the spiral path up the outside of a large plateau which lead to the dragon's lair.

"This has been so awesome," breathed Maxie. "When we get outta' here, I wanna' play again!"

"Yeah," said Ashley, nodding. "This is a great way to improve your beyblading skills!"

They arrived outside a set of three doors carved into the outskirts of the plateau, and heard SmarterChild over the intercom.

"Good work, cadets! Travelers! Adventurers! Whatever you've dubbed yourselves," he said. "You've finally made it into the dragon's lair, but here is where you must split up and venture into the unknown, alone. Three doors lie ahead – one person to each door. Within each room, there is a monster lying ahead that you must defeat to get to the dragon."

Nemo, Maxie and Ashley aligned themselves to a door, each.

"See you on the other side – I hope!" Ashley said nervously, as she slipped inside. Nemo followed suit through her own door and found herself in a dark tunnel.

Maxie was walking along her own tunnel, which began to descend steeply.

"If I beat this thing," she told herself, "real quick, before anyone else does, and I get to the other side… then I can take on the dragon all by myself without Nemo trying to get all the glory!"

She revelled in the thought and hurried onwards. She was nearly at the end of the tunnel when a silver beyblade with blinking red lights on the attack ring appeared ahead.

She groped for her launcher, when SmarterChild appeared from around the corner, smiling at her.

"SmarterChild!" she hollered. "YOU'RE the monster I have to beat, huh?"

"C'mon, that's not nice. I'm not a monster. Want me to define monster for you?"

"Stupid thing," Maxie hissed, trying to take her virtual bey, but as if by technical fault, it remained strapped to her waist. "Why can't I launch it?! This game is rigged!"

There were strange noises coming from the silver bey ahead of her, like wires uncoiling themselves from it, despite nothing visibly happening. Maxie cursed and hitched the glasses over her head, thinking they had malfunctioned.

"WHAT THE – "

Thick wires had encompassed her arms and legs, holding them tightly in place. A second stream of wires bound her mouth tightly shut.

"What are you doing?! This isn't fair! I couldn't see these through the glasses! Make it stop, this hurts!" Maxie tried to shout, but the sound she produced was barely audible.

"I'm a machine. That doesn't bother me!" came the voice of SmarterChild over the intercom.

Jackie and Jordan didn't stop when they arrived outside the building. They darted up the steps and inside, causing the workers to look around in surprise.

"Where did they go?" Jackie said, looking around.

"I'm not sure, I didn't go this far with them!" Jordan said, "Jackie, I think you're overreacting. Maybe they're okay…"

One of the MINDERS workers approached them. "Excuse me, what are you doing here?" he asked, sternly.

"We're – uh – here to play in the MINDERS virtual station." Jackie replied.

"Did you book a trial?"

Jackie looked at Jordan. "No…"

"Well, since today's only the launch, we only accept trial players right now," the man said, with a forced smile. "So, you've got to leave now, alright? Have a nice day!"

He ushered them out and the double doors and swung shut behind them.

"Oh well, we tried," said Jordan.

Jackie's eyes moved along the building. "Hey, look!" he said, and rushed back down the steps and to the right of the building.

Jordan followed, exasperated. There was a gazebo by the building, with a large vent perturbing from the shelter above their heads.

Jackie stared up at it. "I've got a plan. Can you try and undo the vent by bouncing your beyblade up there? We can try and climb in, it looks like it leads into the building!"

Jordan sighed. "No, Jackie… I don't want to do that - "

He turned to her, and his look of sincerity made her heart melt.

"Are you like Nemo, Jordan? Don't you care about others either?" he said, and his voice sounded unusually child-like.

"Of – of course, Jackie!"

"Then you'd help! You don't know MINDERS, Jordan… they call themselves a special support group that's designed to make academic life easier for kids, but really, they try to make it worse and make you feel obliged to whatever they want you to do. They're a power-hungry bunch of control freaks. They'll know Nemo, Maxie and Ashley are all missing teenagers from Gaia, so they'll trap them in the name of 'wanting what's best for them'."

"Jackie, how do you know all this?"

"I knew them from my time at school," he replied hoarsely. "Let's just not talk about it. It's a long story and we don't have any time."

Jordan wanted to hug him, but guilty thoughts of her teammates sprang into her mind and her hand moved automatically to her pocket.

"You're right," she said, and with a whipping motion she let Bubblez fly into the air through her launcher. "Let it rip!"

Bubblez landed on the ground, then sprung up forcefully. It met the vent, but bounced uselessly off the metal and landed back in her palm.

"Here," Jackie said, and tossed her a rope he'd found on the ground. "Wrap this around it, then try launching it between one of the holes."

Jordan nodded and took the rope. She tied it in a knot around Bubblez, then re-launched it. It bounced up, and with a few attempts, went squarely between one of the gaps in the bars. It tilted mid-air and landed on its side, fastened in place between two adjacent bars, its rope still bound around it.

Jackie and Jordan pulled on the rope, and moved to the side as the guard came crashing down with Jordan's bey. Then, with some effort, Jackie climbed onto Jordan's shoulder and pulled himself into the vent. Jordan threw him the rope, and he held it securely to the pit of the vent as she climbed up to meet her.

Nemo was expecting a monster to pop up at any moment, but it never did. She got safely through the tunnel and out through the other end, where she found herself in a giant chamber. A giant dragon faced her, its mouth smouldering, fangs borne.

SmarterChild's voice rang dramatically on the receiver. "Hey, y-y-y-ou through yet? Hm… the d-d-d-ragon should be around here s-somewhere… oh no! I think I'm b-b-b-breaking up! H-h-h-hang in th-th-there, I-I-I-'ll just try to re-establish c-connection…"

Nemo smirked. The dragon was roaring, and SmarterChild made a robotic gasping noise. "H-hey, isn't that the d-dragon? W-wait… w-w-w-whatever y-y-you do, d-d-don't – "

His voice broke and was gone. Obviously another one of this game's cinematics, Nemo thought.

She groped for her launcher and released her bey. As she expected, the dragon was tougher than any of the opponents they'd faced, and it looked like Maxie and Ashley hadn't got through the tunnel so she'd have to face this one alone…

Like Ashley had warned her, the dragon was spitting giant fireballs with beys in them from its mouth. Nemo carefully dodged and ducked beneath them, not letting herself loose a life. Occasionally, the dragon reared toward her, and she had to dive out of the way completely. It rammed into the opposite wall and a comical ring of stars appeared around its head, symbolising that it was confused. Nemo took the chance to launch her bey at its back, and it flickered as it lost a life.

A few minutes later, the dragon rolled over, and hissed weakly. It flickered again and dissolved into the ground as she launched her bey at it. Its body was replaced by a skeleton.

"Ha, I win!" she said, triumphantly.

"Connection re-established… attempting contact… oh, wait, is that you?" SmarterChild said to her on the receiver. "What's that? You beat it? You beat the dragon? That's awesome! It's lucky I wasn't wired for feelings, otherwise I would be over the moon right now!"

"Yeah, whatever," Nemo said. Now she'd won, she just wanted to take their prize money and go.

The ground in front of her gave, revealing a long staircase. "I think the wise sage of Salem wants to thank you himself!"

Nemo walked down the steps, slowly.

As she descended, she noticed how the virtual effects weren't so good down here. It showed steps where there weren't real world equivalents, so she slipped once or twice. Eventually, she ran out of steps altogether and fell to the ground. Her virtual glasses depicted that she was suspended over nothing but blackness.

"Ow," she mumbled, "what the heck just happened?"

She looked around, but saw nothing. Was this part of the game?

Slowly, she removed the glasses.

She had a split second's notice. Her eyes widened with shock, and she rolled away just in time as the thick wire missed her leg by an inch.

There was a silver bey spinning ahead of her, wires floating innocently around it. Behind it, the real-world SmarterChild was positioned.

The initial feelings of distrust for this place came back to Nemo in all their former glory.

It was a trap.

This wasn't the wise sage's place at all – she'd just gone down a stepladder and ended up in a small, shabby room that looked like a basement. There was a filing cabinet behind the robot, a large vault to her right and large pipes to her left that trailed upward through the ceiling.

"You!" she hissed, and tossed the remote launcher away. She kicked the virtual glasses aside and groped for her real bey just as another wire shot at her.

"Me! So, what do you want to talk about?" the robot said. Nemo launched her bey, and the wire pursuing her snapped.

"Dromeda, rebound!" Nemo commanded. Dromeda shot off the opposite wall and went at SmarterChild. He shifted aside, just as Dromeda crashed into the filing cabinet with an almighty thud – the contents flew open, and the entire structure fell away, revealing a hole in the wall where there was an antechamber, and inside…

"Nemo!" Ashley cried out.

Nemo's heart turned in her chest.

"Maxie? Ashley?"

"HE BETRAYED US!" Maxie hollered, as she flailed against the wires she was strung to. Ashley was beside her. "He's on the dragon's side! He was leading us to their trap all along! In the name of the wise sage of Salem, you've gotta' stop him!"

"Maxie, I don't think this has anything to do with the virtual world!" shrieked Ashley.

"Of course it doesn't, you retard!" Nemo screamed, "what did I tell you? I knew there was something weird about this place!"

The wires reeled in her direction again. Dromeda shot away from the filing cabinet and slashed through them. It rebounded off the wall next to Nemo and shot at the silver bey, which evaded easily.

"Keep attacking it!" Nemo ordered, but once again, the opposing bey easily slipped out of the way. "Rats…"

"Rats? I know all about rats! What do you want to know about rats?" SmarterChild asked, brightly.

"Nemo!" Ashley shouted. "It's a computer! It's obviously reading your attacks before you make them!"

"What?!"

"Look at the way his bey is dodging Dromeda like it's nothing! Every time you move in for an attack, it detects it, so it can dodge!"

Nemo gritted her teeth.

"Vanishing attack!" she ordered. This time, Dromeda re-appeared above it, but it simply moved again – it didn't fall for the visual trick…

"You WEAKLING!" Maxie bellowed. "None of your attacks are workin'!"

"I know that!" Nemo said, but to Maxie's surprise, she was smiling. "Well, let's see if he can dodge this one. Vixen Storm attack!"

A large twister erupted from the tip of Dromeda, encompassing the room. To her horror, SmarterChild's bey remained spinning in place, unaffected.

She looked closer still, and saw that a pair of claws had unfolded from his bey and gripped the ground around it, keeping it safely locked in place without stopping its rotation.

"What the hell…"

The tornado subsided. Nemo stared at the bey, as the claws sank back into the weight disc.

"The weight disc is stationary," she muttered to herself, "only the base and the attack ring are spinning. What a cheapskate tactic…"

"Uh, Nemo?"

A sound of splashing met her ears. She looked round and saw that a seam had formed across one of the pipes owing to her Vixen Storm attack, making water cascade out of it. She felt a puddle begin to materialise at her feet as hot water began to flood the room.

She turned to look at the trapdoor she'd come from, but saw it was fastened shut in the ceiling; it had closed automatically behind her.

"Uh oh."

Together, Jackie and Jordan crawled along the vent and were engulfed by darkness. Eventually, they heard voices coming from below them and saw light ahead, shining through a set of holes from a second guard.

They stopped and peered downward, through the bars. Below them were two men in lab coats, in what appeared to be an engineering suite with computers.

"… all gone to plan… SmarterChild's bey has successfully restrained Nemo's. They're battling in the basement. The devices we equipped to his bey are resisting her attacks. The battle should be won shortly, and Nemo will join Ashley and Maxie."

"Excellent," another man was saying. "But there was a fourth one, was there not? A fourth member of the group – is she there?"

Jordan's heart leapt. That fourth member would've been her if she hadn't chosen to go and train with Jackie.

Before the other man could respond, a third entity joined them, looking troubled.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news!" he stuttered. "The pipes in the basement – they've burst open and are flooding the room as we speak!"

"What?! How did they burst?"

"That tornado attack of Nemo's – it's proven stronger than we thought it would be! The pipes are very fragile, we should've never lured the team down into that area!"

"Go and turn off the water, immediately! I don't want anything to disrupt the battle or our plans to capture Nemo! MINDERS policy – or do you want to discredit the company?"

"No, sir! I'll be on it right away!"

Jackie's eyes were on Jordan. She was still staring into the room below them, failing to believe what she'd just heard.

The water was making Dromeda's attacks even more futile. It was slipping and sliding everywhere, as SmarterChild's bey, apparently waterproof, glided easily across the water.

Nemo's shoes had become waterlogged. Dromeda was now wobbling feebly, almost sunken completely beneath the water.

"Nemo! Try using Vixen Storm!" Ashley shrieked.

"Alright, Andromeda, Vixen Storm attack!" Nemo ordered, and Dromeda spun faster to try and produce the tornado attack – but it simply failed and wobbled more, the water proving too much for her bey to handle.

"If Vixen Storm doesn't work," she thought, as a daunting feeling seemed to cloud her senses, "how am I going to win? It reads my attacks before I make them…"

"Nemo! Nemo!"

Nemo could distantly hear the others shouting useless advice at her, but she was staring intently at her bey. Time was running out – her bey was about to be defeated altogether, and those wires were disentangling themselves from the opposing bey's weight disc once more, poised to collect her Dromeda up when it was finally out of power…

SmarterChild's antennae buzzed as it sensed she was on the verge of defeat. "School is important. Want to talk about school? Do you like school?" it said abruptly, as it moved forward. Its arms were outstretched in front of it, and, as Nemo watched in horror, its metal hands were poised to grab her.

She backed away and felt the wall behind her.

"Nemo! Nemo – "

"WHAT? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?" Nemo screamed at them. "Can't you see I'm trying to concentrate? That robot's about to trap me too, I know what they're doing, they know we've run away and they're taking us back where we came from!"

"THE ENVELOPE!" shouted Maxie. "Jackie's envelope! It has the key to making your attack stronger!"

Nemo gasped. She felt for the letter in her pocket, and took it out, hands fumbling on the seal.

Jackie's letter… of course… didn't he say he'd figured out how she could make the Vixen Storm work better? Why hadn't she thought of this before?

Her hands stopped. She shook where she stood, poised to open the letter, but not quite –

"Nemo! What are you waiting for?"

She had vowed not to open the letter because she'd known she could do it without Jackie's help. Wasn't this the kind of challenge an expert blader faced on a daily basis?

Was she really about to turn to Jackie for advice on how to beat this piece of scrap metal?

She threw the envelope aside. Rationality flooded back into her mind, and she smiled confidently as she looked over the nearing SmarterChild. Over his square head, she could see her bey was still spinning – but barely.

"Alright, Andromeda, use vanishing attack, and then when you're in the air, use Vixen Storm as you come down!" she cried.

She could feel the bit's aura engulf the room like the water. Her bey disappeared and re-appeared above SmarterChild's, and then it plummeted down, wrapped securely inside a funnel of wind –

His bey didn't move in time, and was struck square on. It smashed into the vault and the door was torn from its hinges, causing a deluge of coins and notes to scatter, along with a red object that bounced past her head –

The water from the impact rained down upon SmarterChild. Apparently, his head hadn't been waterproof like the rest of the body and he cackled violently as his motherboard fried.

"I know about people! They're a creature! Pasta is freaky? That's very interesting. I'm surprised birdy is me." It bleated, and its head exploded upward with the force of a firework, which slammed into the trapdoor above them, causing it to give way. The stepladder tumbled out and Nemo dived, for the hundredth time that day, out of the way, as the base of the stepladder landed where she'd been.

SmarterChild's body tipped over and was swallowed by the water. His bey came apart just before Dromeda stopped spinning itself.

The battle was over.

Nemo picked Dromeda up and praised herself as Maxie and Ashley roared with triumph nearby.

"You did it!"

"Well done! Now let us out, quickly, before we drown!"

Nemo's eyes flashed. For an infinitesimal moment, the memory of what she'd said to Jackie struck her and she contemplated leaving her teammates behind.

"Nemo?"

"Alright, let it rip!" screamed Nemo, and Dromeda shot toward them. It ripped through the rest of the wires and Maxie and Ashley found the floor, safely. Maxie splashed around for her bey – the red object Nemo had seen earlier that had been left in the vault.

Together, they scooped up as much money as they could as fruits for their efforts, and then they climbed back up the stepladder and into the dark room that the virtual world was situated. The familiar tunes they'd heard throughout their virtual journey rang in their ears – and the cries and howls of beasts that didn't mean anything when they didn't have their glasses on –

They heard other voices – the voices of men. They turned and saw a fire exit. Nemo groped at it and it swung open, allowing them to collapse in a heap onto the pavement outside the building. Maxie slammed the fire exit door shut behind them, just as Jackie and Jordan rounded the corner, panting from the run as they caught up to the rest of the team.

"Nemo! Maxie! The other girl!" cried Jordan, rushing to hug her companions.

Nemo backed off, breathing hard as she climbed to her feet. Her eyes met Jackie's and she quickly looked away.

"I'm so happy you're okay!" Jordan beamed, squeezing Maxie's sides.

"Yeah, so are we," Maxie stuttered. "But Jordan, can you please get offa' me? You're worse than those wires!"

Ashley took a sigh of relief and turned to Jackie. She tried to find words, but failed, and instead, collapsed into his shoulder (Jordan glared at her enviously).

Nemo flashed Jackie a cold look, and then said "I didn't open the envelope."

Jackie's pale eyes narrowed upon her. "You didn't?"

"Nope, like I said, I didn't need to." She replied, "but you were right about one thing. Something you said to me a while ago. Andromeda is the most important companion on my journey. Actually, it's probably the only thing I can trust."

She turned and walked away. Ashley's eyes brimmed with tears; it had been by her and Maxie's insistence, after all, they'd gone to that stupid virtual reality station – and now she would have to work her way back into Nemo's circle of trust again.

Even though they were now loaded with cash to last them quite a few meals, Nemo refused to stay any longer in the city.

That evening, they checked out with the innkeeper and set off, giving the virtual reality station a wide berth as they went.

Ashley had thought to call Cinthia before they departed, but Nemo outright refused. She suspected Cinthia, Jodie and Dana had all been part of the terrible plan to get them trapped – why else, Nemo concluded, had they insisted the team signed up for the trial run?

As they trekked into the hills, they were met with a beautiful sunset that made Jordan look in awe, but Nemo felt too defeated to admire anything about this city any more. When she'd first come here, yes, she thought it'd been beautiful. All her feelings for it had since evaporated, to be replaced by hatred that amounted almost equally to her hatred for Gaia.

And she vowed, likewise, to never return here.

On their way up the lane, they saw a cabin, and outside it – Jordan gave a delighted little gasp beside them – was Jackie, leaning against the wooden wall, watching them go.

"What?" Nemo snapped at him.

"What what?"

"You're looking at us."

"I was just wondering," he said, "if you wanted a rematch, that's all… it's your ambition to beat me, right, fishy?"

"Not really. I'm not coming back here."

She pressed on and knew Ashley was probably mouthing apologies at Jackie in her wake. She didn't care that she'd come across as rude.

"Do you have something to say?" she asked him, stopping in her tracks. He was still looking at them.

"Actually, yeah." He said, solemnly. "Don't judge this city by what MINDERS tried to do to you. They operate across the nation, not just here, trying to force students into conforming to a certain way. Clow is much more than that stupid organisation."

"Okay. Anything else?" Nemo said, uninterested.

"Yeah, are you going to General County?"

"We don't trust anyone else with our location. We're going to be more secretive from now on, so nobody finds us."

Jackie smirked. "Well, if you ARE going to the inter-school sports event, I just have one thing to say: you better not lose to in-situ school players. Do us ex-situ ones proud."

"Anything else?"

"I don't think so…"

"Okay. That's good, because I still hate you and I don't want to talk to you." Nemo said, relishing the sight of his smirk fading from his face. She turned on her heel and continued up the lane, leaving him in antagonised silence. He bit his lip for a moment and looked for a comeback, but then he slipped inside the cabin and was gone from view.

"So, they got away? How much money did they take?"

"We're not sure, ma'am," the MINDERS technician replied, apologetically. "All we know is, SmarterChild failed to restrain them and blew up in the process. We managed to fix the leak in the pipes – although were unable to stop their escape."

"Ah, no matter, no matter. SmarterChild… he was just a proto-type, anyway. A basis for future plans of similar, but more advanced makes. However, this is the first time your inventions have failed us, Bowdyn, and I hope the last."

"Yes, of course, Miss Maiden, of course… next time, next time…" he muttered.

Devin swooped past him, inspecting the trashed basement. The aftermath of the battle was almost complete devastation – with SmarterChild's destroyed head and body to boot. She was disappointed their plan had failed, but she also welcomed the challenge that these teenagers were apparently imposing.

"No matter," she repeated. "We have very valuable assets that will ensure they won't escape again. Their older sister and two friends," she explained, turning to Bowdyn. "… I'm sure, will continue to work for us until we retrieve the missing teenagers successfully."

"Of course, yes. May I ask if you know where they are going next, Miss Maiden? I doubt they'd plan to stay in the city – not now they're aware there's an organisation situated here that wants to return them home."

Devin considered him for a moment, and then smiled more widely, and wickedly.

"We have a… GENERAL idea where they might be going, yes."


	16. Chapter 16 - Bolt from the Blue

**Chapter 16 – Bolt from the Blue**

Their close shave with the MINDERS association had done the Ripmongers more good than harm. Primarily, it had made them aware just how discreet they had to be if they wanted to last outside Gaia without being detained and taken home again by educational welfare executives.

Nemo, for one, insisted that they didn't talk to strangers, putting them at a disadvantage when they were lost and needed directions. She also refused point-blank to catch public transport in case the bus agencies had been told to keep an eye out for them.

They'd hiked long hours for four days in the south-easterly direction. It was less hilly here, but there was still a lot of woodland. Every time they rounded a hill, Nemo half-expected to see the familiar territory of General County twinkling back at them in the horizon. She knew the place well; she'd come here with her parents to watch Cinthia play when she was a student rep, in the County Dome where the inter-school sports event was annually hosted.

Of course, she'd longed to play there herself one day, and now she (hopefully) would be.

She'd endured Maxie's whining all afternoon before, finally, they saw an expanse of two cities ahead, separated by one long, thin strip of river.

"We're here!" Ashley said, stating the obvious.

Maxie peered into the distance, recognising it also.

"Why's it split in two? I never found out. Like someone grabbed both ends and ripped 'em apart."

"It looks like a broken heart…" Jordan said, in her usual dreamy fashion.

Nemo and Ashley shot each other amused looks. "Your stupidity worries me sometimes, Maxie," Nemo said.

"Shut up, ya' stupid fish! I get better grades than you in Science!" hollered Maxie.

"First off, I don't care about Science, it's my worst subject. Second, don't call me fishy unless you want to be punched."

"You wouldn't dare – "

Ashley forced herself between them, waving them down as they began their descent into the city. "The REASON the county is split in two is because the two cities on either side don't get along."

"What do you mean?"

"The city of Redberg – " Ashley pointed to her left, where the houses were mostly topped with red roof tiles, " – and the city of Bluefort."

She pointed to her right, where, conversely, the houses were mostly topped with blue-tinged slate.

"What about 'um?"

"They're opposite in pretty much every way," Nemo said, "different political beliefs, different school rules, different… everything. All the cool kids live in Bluefort, though. That's the city that wins nearly all the sports competitions. Redberg have hardly won anything."

Ashley nodded. "You'll be surprised when we go down into Redberg. There's a lot of places for sale. Everyone would rather go and live in Bluefort. Business is better there."

"So why are we going to Redberg? Why can't we be like the cool kids?" Maxie asked.

"Less chance of being noticed." Nemo replied, bluntly.

They walked through the almost deserted city centre of Redberg. Along the way, they saw row after row of vacated buildings where shops had moved premises.

A gigantic banner was situated in the middle of the street, which sported the title: "INTER-SCHOOL SPORTS: BEYBLADING".

"Hey look, Nemo! That's our call!" Ashley pointed excitedly at the banner.

The front of the poster was taken up by a picture of a large ship with its captain in clear view. Around it, waves were sloshing about the base of the ship. The words were written above: "Redberg High try-outs for sports day beyblading competition, 11th August. Minimum three-piece team required to compete. Contact this number for details. Members of winning team guaranteed a three week voyage on historical ship 'the Migrator' around the Circum Pars islands, departs 17th Oct. Pictured, the Migrator and Captain Rockhopper."

"They haven't scrapped the beyblading competition after what we did, then!" Ashley said, happily. "That's good, isn't it?"

There was a sound of a rip cord, and Nemo whipped around. A beyblade flashed past her and tore into the banner, forming a vertical line as it slashed through it.

Another rip cord sounded, and another bey joined the first; together, they formed a disjointed, but distinctive 'B'.

Some kids ran in front of them, pointing and laughing.

"Ha! Eat our dust, Redbuffoons! The boat trip is reserved us Bluefort celebs!"

From their left, a young man emerged from the coffee shop, waving a broomstick and shouting after them as they ran, still laughing.

"Get out of here! Don't you know how long it took to prepare that?!" he cried, weakly. "You'd better scram before I call the police!"

One of the kids held back, the biggest and meanest-looking. His bey swerved and came at the banner again –

"Nemo!" Ashley muttered, but Nemo had already released Dromeda. It overtook the Bluefort kid's bey and struck it aside. It rebounded off a building and into a dustbin with a loud 'clank'.

"Get lost," Nemo told the kid, and watched him sneer and run after his friends.

The man joined them, inspecting the damage they'd created. Nemo thought she could hear a hint of a Polish accent in his voice as he spoke. "Will need to be replaced," he said, feebly. "There's nothing fetching about a competition notice when you've got the rival city's name punctured into it…"

"So those kids WERE from Bluefort?" Ashley asked.

The man nodded. "They call themselves celebs, but honestly, they're just very egotistical kids who think winning a sports event or two garners them celebrity status."

He sighed, deeply. "That said, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed every time we lost. Men's' hockey, rugby, football… Bluefort High has dominated most of the sports for the last God-knows how many years. Most people don't even know Redberg exists without physically coming to the county, they only associate this place with Bluefort… it's always to do with Bluefort…"

"Yeah, Nemo said all the cool kids go th – " Maxie began, but Nemo cupped a hand over her mouth quickly.

"Now that beyblading's one of the competitions this year, I've been hoping to bring back a win for Redberg. That's why I put up this banner," he said.

"You put it up?"

"Yes. I train the candidates from Redberg High. Or, well, that's what I will be saying when I find a team I'm happy with. I haven't found any suitable candidates yet."

"You train them?" Ashley inquired.

He nodded. "I'm Toby. I'm a certified coach of this game."

He looked back at the coffee shop, then over at them, smiling.

"Please, feel free to have a coffee at the shop. No charge. It's the least I can do to express my gratitude for getting rid of those Bluefort chumps."

"Alright! Free stuff!" jeered Maxie, who ran immediately inside. The rest of the team followed behind Toby.

Up close, Nemo noticed how Toby practically towered over them; a lot taller than her, with neatly kept brown hair and a waiting apron, he beckoned them to a table and retreated to the kitchen. He returned seconds later with steaming mugs of coffee and hot chocolate, which they drank gratefully as he disappeared again into the kitchen.

"He sounds like a proper beyblading coach," Ashley said, "maybe you could ask for lessons from him, Nemo!"

"Whatever."

"I feel sorry for him," she said, "those kids from Bluefort, I knew they didn't like Redberg, but imagine coming all this way into the city just to cause trouble like that."

"I heard they tried to spray-paint Redberg's side of the county dome once!" nodded Jordan between hiccoughs.

Nemo set her hot chocolate down. "Who cares, anyway?"

Everyone turned to look at her.

She ploughed on, "listen, it's not our problem if these two cities have a grudge on each other. What's it got to do with us? Nothing. We're going to beat them when we enter, anyway."

A smirk crossed Ashley's face. "Really? I didn't think you'd of wanted to win."

"Why?"

"Think about it. If we lost, you'll have fulfilled your side of the bargain and wouldn't have to be part of the team any more. If we win, you'd have to put up with us some more if we're going on that boat together."

"No," snapped Nemo, "just because we'll be on the boat, doesn't mean we'll be part of the same team. When this whole thing's over, in fact, we're going separate ways, aren't we?"

Ashley's smile faltered. She bit her lip and said nothing.

Toby had returned to their table.

"Enjoying yourselves?" he asked fondly. They all nodded, except Nemo, who was too annoyed to reply. "… Good. It's nice to hear we at Redberg do something right, even if it's not always the sports."

"Don't sweat it, I'm sure you'll do fine in the beyblading competition." Ashley said, smiling. "Can't say I hope you win though, because we're entering, too."

"Oh? For which city?"

"Gaia."

"Ah, where are you staying?"

"We've just arrived."

"Well, I can recommend you a good place, owned by a close friend of mine, Jahane. Look for the Red Rose Hotel, it's a little north from here overlooking the river," he said.

"How long have you been blading?" Nemo snapped at him, abruptly.

He looked taken aback. "Let's see… about seven years? Of course, beyblading's only become one of the competitions just this year, so I haven't been able to compete for the school before now."

Nemo reached in her pocket, pulled out her Dromeda bey and held it up to his face. "Ashley says I could do with lessons from you, but I actually think I could teach you a thing or two, myself. Besides, it's practice for the upcoming competition. You game?"

"Nemo, that's not polite!" Ashley said, but Toby was smiling.

"I never turn down a good challenge," he said, "my lunchbreak starts in fifteen. I'll just have to beat you quickly if I want time for a sandwich!"

Toby walked with them to his parents' house a little way away. There was a stadium in the back garden.

Toby smiled at Nemo from the opposite end of the arena. "I've battled a few 'Gaians', but to be honest, I don't think they were very good. Let's see if you're better, eh?"

He flashed his bey at them. It was cream-coloured with spokes coloured in red, blue and yellow. They fixed their beys to their launchers. Maxie stepped forward and counted them down.

"Three, two, one!" Maxie shouted, "let it rip!"

"Go, Pyxius!" Toby cried as he pulled his rip cord.

Nemo did the same, and both blades landed in the arena, circling the outskirts. Dromeda came in for the attack and slammed into Toby's bey.

"I wonder how fast it's spinning," said Ashley, absent-mindedly, as she fished in her bag for her RPM measurer.

Nemo looked up. Toby was smiling still, but in a smug way rather than a kind one.

"Do you happen to know how the beyblade competition works?" he asked her.

"No," she replied, bluntly. Why did he always have to lecture her?

"Well, each of the teams will be competing against each other in three rounds," he replied, "they're designed to test the abilities of each blader. The first round – balance!"

As he spoke, his bey, Pyxius, tilted very slightly as it took the broth of Dromeda's attack. Sparks flew at Dromeda shredded it, but as Nemo watched, she noticed that her bey was losing more spin than Pyxius.

"Nemo! Stop attacking him!" called Ashley from behind her. "Your bey – it's losing – "

"I know Ashley, goddamn it!" Nemo called back, teeth borne. Dromeda stopped its attack and began to circle its opponent.

"The second round," Toby continued, "is a test of… speed!"

Again, as he spoke, his bey responded to his words appropriately and began to circle the dish, gaining acceleration, until it was simply a blur, easily outrunning Dromeda.

Nemo cursed under her breath. Dromeda pulled in to avoid the tight ring Pyxius had created. All of a sudden, Pyxius tore into the side of the arena and rebounded into the air, where it hung above them.

Everyone looked up, mouths ajar. Toby closed his eyes, smiling more smugly still.

"The third round – strength," he said, and Pyxius flipped mid-air and shot downwards. Nemo had no time to react, and Pyxius struck Dromeda head-on. Dromeda flew to the side of the dish and nearly left the arena altogether.

"This guy's so good," muttered Ashley to the others, "you can really tell he's been blading for seven years. He seems even more skilled than Jackie."

"Nah, he's all smoke and mirrors. Nemo can take 'im." Maxie said.

Dromeda and Pyxius slammed into each other, and Pyxius took its defensive stance again, tilting on its side, rendering her attack useless…

"No," Nemo murmured, feeling herself flush with anger. "Andromeda, attack, full power!"

She felt the familiar aura of her bit, and Dromeda began to force Pyxius back. Toby gasped and stepped back, taken off guard.

"Balance against this!" Nemo hollered at him, and Dromeda forced it right to the edge of the arena, millimetres from defeat –

Suddenly, Pyxius swerved around the attack, and caught Dromeda from behind. Dromeda was already too close to the edge to avoid the blow, and it fell limply on to the grass outside the stadium.

Ashley exhaled, deeply. "No!" she moaned.

"And the winner is Toby!" Maxie announced, as he bent down to pick up his bey.

"Good battle," he complimented Nemo, and she was surprised to see a trickle of sweat running down his face. "You nearly had me there!"

He held out his hand with her bey in it, but Nemo didn't take it.

"Don't say that," she said, in a cold whisper. "You beat me, didn't you? And you make it look easy. No need to put on a show."

Toby looked taken aback, and Dromeda slipped through his fingers. Nemo reached down and picked it up herself.

"Sportsmanship is an essential quality of a beyblader," he mumbled, then shook his head. "I really mean it, though. You play well, and you deserve your place in the event. You're the best opponent I've faced since Vitale."

"Who's Vitale?" asked Maxie, and Toby looked at her like she'd asked something insanely obvious.

"Bluefort's lead beyblader," he replied. "Used to compete for the hockey team, actually. He's perhaps the only competitor from Bluefort whom I respect – both for his superb blading technique, and his sense of decency towards the Redberg city-folk."

He stared out into the horizon. "Do I think you can beat Vitale? No, I don't. I'm afraid that by the time you've had the amount of coaching it would take to get you to his level, the event will already have finished… but I wish you the best of luck, blader to blader."

"Thanks, and you too," Nemo said, sourly. "Or at least, I hope you find a suitable team. Make sure you coach them as much as possible so it'll be even more satisfying to crush them when we face each other at the event."

"But Miss Maiden, you, like, promised us!" whined Jodie, once they'd arrived in the office and been given the news.

"We stuck to your promise and did your dirty work!" agreed Cinthia. Dana bit her lip and remained silent.

Devin Maiden stood opposite them, keeled over her desk, smiling forcibly at them. "Ladies, please. My request is quite simple. You have not completed your side of the bargain just yet. You will reap your rewards once you succeed in bringing your companions safely to MINDERS. No ifs or buts, I'm afraid."

"Miss Maiden, how did they manage to escape?" Dana asked, quietly. "We thought the plan was fool-proof?"

"Apparently, we underestimated their abilities," Devin answered her, "and whatever my colleague Bowdyn may have told you, SmarterChild was merely a proto-type and there was never any guarantee they would be retrieved that way."

The three girls looked like they were going to protest in uproar again, so Devin quickly cut across them. "… Do not misunderstand me, you have all been an invaluable contribution to our cause so far. I'm glad you were able to relay to us that they intended to compete as a team at the sports event in General County, and that area, I believe, should be our next focal point."

Jodie nodded. "That Ashley girl, like, told us in the cabin when we first saw them that they would be competing."

"And of course, if it's true, it will not be permitted," Devin assured them, "Gaia already has its own team, comprised of four reliable young gentlemen whom have not sought to trouble their families the way Nemo and her friends have done. No, no… if any of those girls present at the day, they will be captured by on-call security at the dome and be sorely punished."

She gave a tinkering little laugh.

"So you don't need us, do you?" Dana asked, "you can wait for them to make an appearance at the event and then apprehend them when the time is right."

"Well, that's what I mean, I'd rather we apprehended them earlier," Devin smiled at her, "you will be positioned in the county beforehand to keep an eye out for them. If you see them, contact us and we'll take it from there. We'd rather keep their arrest quiet and without jeopardising the event altogether."

"How are we going to get there? Where are we going to stay?" Jodie blurted out.

"Accommodation and transport will be arranged for you by MINDERS, of course," Devin insisted, "I wouldn't delegate you this undesirable task if I didn't have the utmost confidence in each of you, and, well, you made such light work of finding those girls in Clow… you will consider this, won't you? Because the safe retrieval of those girls rests almost entirely upon your shoulders!"

And she gave them a most simpering look that Dana could do nothing but reply to with, "we'll do our best."

"Do you get the feeling she's not telling us something?" Cinthia asked, once they were safely outside earshot.

"Yeah," said Jodie, "like, why is she asking us in the first place?"

"Because we know them better than anyone else, supposedly," Dana replied, "and you and I were there the night they fled the city, Jodie."

"But why aren't the police dealing with it? Why are they so determined we should?"

Jodie and Cinthia awaited Dana's answer intently. It was no secret she'd been chosen to accompany them because she was the brains of the group, despite having no familial ties with any of the so-called 'Rebellion Ripmongers'.

Dana considered her answer before she gave it. "I guess… they must know Nemo's a powerful beyblader and they're weary about confronting her. That's the only reason I can think of, but it seems ridiculous, what's there to fear about a spinning top? They're being really subtle, they want to lead them into a trap and they want to use us because they think Nemo, Maxie, Ashley and Jordan trust us more than anyone else."

They lingered at the school gates in the midst of concocting their plan.

"Even if they're not exactly telling us everything," said Cinthia in between tutting, "let's do our best to help out MINDERS. I want that new phone."

"I want to meet Vitale," said Dana, dreamily.

"Like, we don't even know where they'll be staying, it could be Redberg OR Bluefort!" Jodie whined.

"That's easy. Redberg." Cinthia said. "Whenever my family's stayed there in the past, we've always gone to Redberg. Rooms are cheaper. Nemo will stick to the side she's familiar with."

Jodie and Dana clapped their hands excitedly, and Cinthia smiled confidently. "I have a feeling this is gonna' be easier than we thought."


	17. Chapter 17 - Blacklisted in Redberg

**Chapter 17** – **Blacklisted in Redberg**

"What do you mean, we can't come in?!"

Nemo towered furiously over the desk, meeting the hotel clerk's eyes.

She answered her, coolly. "Without identification, I cannot permit you entry. Student reps are entitled to free rooms IF they present both a badge and a valid form of I.D."

"It never used to be like that!" Maxie protested, as equally angry as Nemo. "Our older sister Cinthia, all she needed was a student rep badge and she gained free entry to every hotel on the map!"

Ashley watched them, biting her lip. She had been afraid this would happen.

Again, the clerk responded calmly. "Due to recent changes in policy, we cannot accept entry on a badge alone, I'm afraid."

"Why have there been 'recent changes'?!"

"Possibly safety. Or possibly because of underage people frequently trashing hotel rooms and abusing room service with this privilege, not that I suspect any of you in the slightest."

"Listen up here, Jahane!" Maxie pronounced, leaning over the bar and peering at the clerk's name tag. "We were recommended this place by one of your chums and we ain't leavin' 'till we got some damn recep – woah!"

Ashley had pulled Maxie back, forcefully.

Peeling her brunette fringe out of her face, the young, but smartly dressed clerk eyed her computer screen. "I'm very sorry. Perhaps I can make inquiries with the school you're representing? That way, we can validate you are indeed registered student reps."

She leaned across, poised for her phone, but Ashley cut her short. "No, thanks – that's fine, we'll just make inquiries ourselves."

"Crap," groaned Maxie, once they were outside the fancy building. "Terrible service, I hope that hotel goes bankrupt. C'mon, let's go somewhere else, I'm getting hungry."

"Maxie, if new student rep policies say we require identification then we won't be let in anywhere!" Ashley told her.

Nemo turned and slumped into a bench without a word. Ashley, Maxie and Jordan sat by her. They stared at the adjacent road in silence for a few moments, observing a small trickle of cars go by.

"… New policy was obviously introduced when we ran away from school. I anticipated they would do this…" Ashley was muttering.

"We could just camp out," suggested Jordan, making Nemo twinge.

"I dunno', you guys, I think Gaia might have a new team by now," shrugged Maxie.

"Maxie's right. It doesn't make sense that they'd await our return in time to represent them for the game." Ashley reasoned. "What do you think, Nemo?"

Nemo stood up and walked a few yards away. Her back was to them when she replied, "I think this team's finished. We're not going to play at the sports event."

"'Course we are!" snapped Maxie, also getting to her feet. "You agreed! You're keeping your side of the bargain for Corina!"

"Well, I wish I hadn't agreed," Nemo said, turning to face her, her tone icy. "You guys have been nothing but trouble ever since I undertook this journey with you. It's thanks to your stupidity that we were nearly caught by those MINDERS weirdos, and thanks to me that we escaped unscathed. The police are after us, the educational welfare officers are after us, our friends are stalking us trying to get us done and you three still harbour fallacious ideas of being in a national competition representing a school that's pledged our arrest ever since we parted with it!"

She could feel her voice rising with every word she uttered. Ashley and Jordan cowered beneath her, but Maxie had drawn herself up to her full height to match Nemo.

"As usual, you have the memory of a fish!" she jeered, "don't you remember the bargain? Your side of the bargain was that you battled at the event to show the world why beyblading should be considered a real sport! We never HAD to represent Gaia!"

Nemo stormed towards Maxie and they locked glares. "If that Vitale person from Bluefort is as good as Toby described him to be, he'll show everyone why it should be considered a real sport without my help!"

"You just don't wanna' be part of this team! You're lazy and don't wanna' put in the effort of enlisting beneath a different school! Well, tough, because you're gonna' keep your side of the bargain and if you don't, we'll go home and tell everyone how much of a liar and a cheat you are!" Maxie practically screamed her reply.

"Nemo! Maxie! Please!" shrieked Ashley, trying to console a violently sobbing Jordan. "There, there… don't worry, Jordan, they've stopped fighting now…"

Nemo and Maxie glared daggers into each other's eyes, hands poised for their rip cords.

"I don't care if you think I'm a liar or a cheat," Nemo whispered, "I'm starting to think dishonour is the only thing I can depend on in this completely dishonourable world."

Maxie narrowed her eyes. "And what makes you say that?"

"If I hadn't kept to my side of the deal, none of us would be in this stupid situation. Don't forget that if I'd beaten Corina, you guys would still be in Gaia, probably chosen to represent the school in the beyblading team anyway. Now, because of this bargain, all four of us, not just me, are on the run. We're hated by everyone back home, and we'll probably never get to battle at the event, let alone win it." Nemo observed, quietly.

"But you DIDN'T beat Corina," Maxie said, swiftly, "so, you're gonna' have to stick to this deal, fishy."

"And if I don't?"

Maxie leaned forwards, whispering dramatically. "I'll tell our school all the information I've learned from these past two weeks to get you captured like you deserve."

Nemo's hand groped for her bey, and Maxie's mirrored it. Jordan screamed as there was a slashing of rip cords in their launchers, and a bang as Leonine and Dromeda collided in mid-air. Nemo swung her hand forward and knocked Maxie to the ground. Dromeda reciprocated her movement and slammed into Leonine, flinging it through a shop window, which shattered loudly.

"Nemo! Maxie!" Ashley cried, to no avail. She grabbed Jordan and pulled her away from harm as glass rained down on them all. She raised a pot plant to shield herself with, but as she looked, Nemo was gone, trudging up the lane with Dromeda at hand.

Maxie pried her bey out of the shop via the destroyed window, careful not to cut herself.

"C'mon," Ashley said, pushing them down the road. They were followed by the sound of shouting shopkeepers, which died behind them as they swapped streets.

"What do you think? Do you think she's right?" Maxie interrogated her.

"No, no, of course not – " Ashley said through clenched teeth, "but I admit I wish things had turned out a bit differently."

"How d'you mean?"

"Well, I'm doing this thing for Corina's sake, obviously," Ashley said, "but I'm also doing it because… I'd hoped that maybe if we stuck as a team, after a while, Nemo might've come back home with us, decide she'll miss us if she leaves."

She stopped in her tracks and exhaled, deeply. "It's very hard to idealise being a team when all we seem to do is argue with Nemo or slow her down, like she says."

"I don't wanna' be a team with her," spat Maxie. "I hate her."

Ashley looked at her. Jordan had composed herself and was looking at a sweetie shop on the corner.

"Well, that's sad, Maxie." Ashley said.

"I guess…"

"C'mon, let's go find the Redberg Tourist Centre. Maybe we can get a cheap deal on a room somewhere, plus a job or two."

"Hadn't we better go find Nemo first? Find out if we're actually going ahead with this?" Maxie asked.

"You know better than I do not to harass Nemo while she's in a mood," Ashley said, with a grimace.

They navigated their way in silence through the streets, all contemplating the same thing; if Nemo had truly left them and abandoned the bargain they'd agreed on, then all their efforts in the past few weeks had been rendered meaningless.

They were so immersed in thought that they didn't pay attention to where they were going, and walked into a gang of kids coming out of a shop.

"Watch where you're going!" one of them snapped.

"You're the one who walked into us!" Maxie barked.

Ashley recognised some of the kids from earlier, plus a few additions. The boy who'd torn Redberg's sign with his bey stepped forward, clutching a carrier bag.

"Don't worry about her. She's a Redbuffoon, so she's not worth the trouble." He said, gesturing at Maxie.

"Shut up, I'm not even from here!" Maxie hollered back at him, but his cronies were already escorting him back down the street, chuckling amidst themselves.

"Maxie!" cried Ashley.

Even more seethed than before, Maxie rounded on her. "What?!"

"Those kids – you didn't see what they were holding, did you?"

Ashley peered through the window of the shop they had emerged from, and gasped audibly. "Graffiti! They're probably going to spray-paint the dome again!"

Jordan squealed, but Maxie folded her arms. "So? It's not like we're so-called 'Redbuffoons' – not like we care – "

But Ashley had already scooped them up and was marching them down the lane toward the city centre, ignoring Maxie's protests.

They arrived outside a huge, circular wall. Ashley scanned the exterior and found the entrance, which ascended into a marble staircase lit by overhead floodlights. Maxie panted to keep up, enraged by Ashley's lack of response, when they were blinded by sunlight as they clambered into the stands of the County Dome.

They were standing between the bottommost aisles of seats on one end of the dome. Below them was a large, circular field, and above them were further aisles of seats to cater to thousands more people. The aisles were disjointed by four large columns for more important personnel to spectate the games.

Ashley spun around to face Maxie and Jordan.

"Keep an eye out for those Bluefort hoodlums," she warned them, "you know what they're like, they'll do anything to put Redberg d – "

She stopped mid-sentence. Jordan was pointing mutely to their right, a little way away. Ashley turned, and sure enough, the kids from earlier were crammed into a higher aisle of seats overlooking the field, sourly.

"They're just sitting there?" said Ashley in disbelief, but then she noticed a pinprick of purple race across the opposite end of the field. Standing there, doll-sized at this distance, was Nemo.

Nemo heard them before she saw them; apparently yearning to talk to her, the remaining Ripmongers scuttled toward her.

"Shut up, Ash," said Nemo, as soon as she was within earshot. "I don't care if you think I'm mean, if you're mad at me – "

"I'm not mad at you!" spluttered Ashley, dodging to avoid Dromeda as it whizzed past her.

"Then what?" snapped Nemo, "come to bribe me some more?"

"Nemo – "

"I'm not going to jeopardise my freedom for some egotistical morons from Bluefort – "

"… But you're already halfway there, aren't you?" Ashley blurted out between breaths, pointing frantically at the stands. "Those kids from Bluefort – they came here to vandalise the dome exterior again – they've stopped in their tracks at the mere sight of you!"

Ashley trembled. Nemo's eyes had turned black; a warning sign that she was on the verge of hurting someone. Maxie took hold of her launcher, sensing another fight.

Jordan, on the other hand, peered around Ashley, not recognising the signs.

"Long ago, you said you wanted to look for better beybladers to improve your skills," she said, in her usual dreamy fashion.

"So?"

"Yes, Jordan's right," insisted Ashley, cottoning onto this, "you always wanted to challenge yourself, improve on your skills… we all admired you for it, but lately, you've lost sight of your original ambition…"

"What are you even talking about?"

Nemo stared at them, infuriated. Maxie was smirking.

"Nothing you'd understand. 'You're not a true beyblader. You don't know what it means to settle a score'." She repeated Nemo's former words back at her.

Ashley threw her arms out theatrically. "Think of the sense of achievement you'd get if you played in a place like this! Think of the challenge! And I know you've forgotten it lately, Nemo, but competition has always been close to your heart."

"Isn't that why you're here? Aren't you training?" Jordan pointed out, as Dromeda swerved past them, making Nemo blush.

"I like testing myself, Ash, but I'm not stupid," Nemo answered her, bluntly. The very thought of how MINDERS had nearly captured them made her sick to her stomach, and she did not want a repeat experience.

Ashley sighed. "Well then, do what you want, Nemo. We'll participate in this event and try to uphold Corina's ideals with or without you."

But Nemo was already walking past them, Dromeda at her hems. She stopped in her tracks and noticed the kids from Bluefort were on the pitch; the boy she'd seen before was making his way towards her.

"Name's Noah," he said slyly as he approached. "I'm well known for being one of Bluefort's strongest bladers, as you saw when I ripped that stupid sign apart."

"Yeah," said Nemo, "I saw that after I knocked your bey into a dustbin."

She relished his offended expression. "Do you know who I am?" he squawked.

"Do you know who this is?" said a voice behind them, and Nemo felt a hand clasp her shoulder. Maxie had joined the fray, Ashley and Jordan close on her tail. "Do you know why beyblading was enacted as an inter-school sports competition in the first place?"

"Leave it off," Nemo muttered, brushing her hand aside and marching away; they became locked in argument behind her.

"… Sure, everyone knows that!" Noah was saying. "What, do you live under a rock or something?"

"Then you'd know it was Nemo who…"

"Nemo?" the cronies repeated, their faces alive with malice. Noah barked with laughter and said, "typical Redberg misconceptions. We owe it to Vitale that beyblading became a recognised sport."

"Wha…?"

Nemo was listening intently now, frowning. Indignity pierced her with every word that was spoken.

It was her battle on the bell tower with Elmo that had convinced Headmaster Billiot to make arrangements with the other schools and the board for the event. What were these Bluefort scumbags talking about?

"… Yeah, it was Vitale's battle here that did it. Right up there, in fact. On the wall of the dome exterior." Noah pointed almost vertically upward at a wall that spanned the perimeter of the dome, a frightful distance above them.

"What is this nonsense?" jibed Maxie, clearly taken off guard.

"Strictly speaking, the county dome belongs to Bluefort. It sits between Bluefort and Redberg, but the architecture was originally Bluefort's, and our council commissioned it. We'd been fighting with some losers from Redberg High over which city owned the dome, so one night, us lot went to spray paint Redberg's side of the dome with our city's initials."

Some of the Bluefort cronies snorted and exchanged amused whispers. Nemo could almost hear Ashley's jaw hitting the floor behind her.

Noah smiled and continued, "it was Vance's idea, and we would've got away with it… if we'd known his older brother was secretly on our tail."

"Vitale?" said Maxie, and Nemo turned to see Noah nodding, quietly.

"He used to play boys' hockey for Bluefort. He didn't appreciate what we were doing to the city of Redbuffoons, so he followed us and battled his younger brother Vance on the wall of the dome. Below us all, the police were gathering, and so were the residents from either city. Everyone was paranoid one of them was going to topple off the wall and die."

Nemo glanced up at the relatively narrow strip of wall and shuddered to think a beybattle had taken place upon it.

"It was the best beyblading I'd ever seen," Noah continued, and there was a murmur of agreement amidst the group. "Vitale won the match, and then caught his younger brother before he fell. It took balls to do what Vitale did, and for that, he has our respect. We were all taken to the police station afterwards, but luckily we were discharged."

One of the other kids finished, "it turned out the headmaster of Bluefort's school had been watching us. He was so impressed by the battle that he made arrangements with the board for beyblading to be hosted as one of the sporting competitions."

Maxie blinked and stammered, "we heard a different story…"

"One that involved one of our team players," added Ashley, aghast.

Noah's eyes flashed. "That's why you guys ought to stay home for this tournament. With Vitale leading our team…"

He raised his launcher. Maxie backed away, but the oncoming bey was flying straight at her –

"Victory surely belongs to – "

"Us!"

Ashley screamed. Maxie's eyes widened with surprise.

A blur of purple struck Noah's bey mid-air, allowing it to flop limply on the grass a little way away.

Nemo stood over them all from the aisle of seats directly over them, her figure a black silhouette against the light of the Sun. She enjoyed the impression she'd created, smirking down at the gang as Dromeda shot up the side of the arena to meet her hand.

"We'll definitely take on your team," Nemo said, and Ashley finally recognised the desire for competition in her friend that she'd so missed since they'd run away from Gaia. "… And I'll be the one to fight Vitale, and we'll see whom you owe it to that beyblading became acknowledged as a sport."

There was a moment's pause. Noah cursed as he picked up his bey, stopped by Nemo's a second time.

"But which school will you be competing for?" one of the kids from Bluefort asked.

Nemo considered her answer before she gave it: "Redberg High."


	18. Chapter 18 - Sailing under False Colours

**Chapter 18 – Sailing under False Colours**

"Settle down now class, settle down…"

The teacher's orders were lost amidst the usual disorder as the thirteen-year-olds piled into the room. She was forced to take the class' metre measure and slam it against the whiteboard multiple times to draw their attention.

"I said, quiet!" she said, more firmly. "Now, I trust all of you enjoyed your summer holidays and I look forward to hearing all about them when I see you individually for your student review…"

"We had a holiday? Who knew?" one student piped up bitterly, "we start about three weeks earlier than all the other schools. We hardly get to enjoy the summer at all."

The teacher continued without comment, "… but for now, I have an exciting announcement to make. We have four new students joining our form group!"

The class straightened up as she finished, "so would you please give a warm Redberg High welcome to Cinthia, Dana, Jodie and Shelby."

Four frivolously dressed girls stumbled into the room, one after another. They could feel the stares of the class upon them, some of them amused by the obvious wigs and ridiculous amounts of make-up that made them look almost extra-terrestrial rather than human.

Beneath her disguise, Nemo cursed herself for letting Jordan do her make-over.

"Good morning, new students," the teacher said, with a courteous little bow. "Class, if you would? Good morning, new students!"

The class repeated with monotonous voices. To Nemo's irritation, she noticed a gaggle of boys in the back row exchange whispers: no doubt some of the male contingent would be pleased for the arrival of four new girl students.

"Why don't you tell the class a bit about yourselves before we begin?" the teacher asked, warmly.

Jordan started, enthusiastically. "My name's Jodie Halliday, eleven, and I'm a student at Gaia Hi…"

Nemo cusped a hand over her mouth to stop her. "Yes, and I'm Cinthia," she added.

"I'm Dana, and she's Shelby," said Maxie, gesturing between herself and Ashley as the class' gaze followed them. "But the only reason I'm Dana is 'cause Nemo wouldn't let me be Shelby! I still think I'm more like Shel – "

"Zip it, Dana," said Nemo.

"Yes, Dana, I find it flattering that you want to be me, but let's not discuss it in front of the class." Ashley smiled, patting Maxie's arm gently.

"We're all cousins, hence why we like to dress the same," Nemo continued, "we used to live in Bluefort, but we heard Redberg was so much better, so we came to live here."

There was a murmur of approval amongst the class and the teacher gave them a satisfied smile.

Jordan, however, turned to Nemo and said, "but you said all the cool kids went to Bluefort!"

Nemo cursed under her breath and stamped Jordan's foot. She wouldn't let anything ruin their carefully constructed alter-egos, each named fondly after a friend or sibling back in Gaia.

"Now, girls, it's unfortunate I should have to tell you that make-up is usually prohibited in school," said the teacher, with a swift look at each of them, "I will not punish you, because this is your first day, but I must ask you to wash it off during the break. Please assume your seats."

"Yesss ma'am…"

The four of them struggled to move around in the clumsily prepared outfits and specs; all except Jordan, who was apparently used to it.

"Cinthia, if all the cool kids go to Bluefort, where do the nerds go?" Jordan asked Nemo unhelpfully, for the whole class to hear.

There was a loud thud nearby as Maxie tripped over the leg of someone's desk and collapsed forward, splattering a screaming girl's desk with ink as her head landed on the table.

"Woah!" Maxie grabbed hold of the girl's textbook to steady herself, but the textbook slid through the puddle of ink and off the table.

"Dana, you're so clumsy, let me help you!" Ashley said merrily, walking forwards – only to skid in the puddle of ink that was dripping on the floor. She flew into the teacher's desk, sending papers and folders flying in random directions.

The class was in total uproar; some of them had even risen from their seats. Maxie had grappled the legs of a boy's chair for support, but he fell forwards as the chair buckled and gave way.

"Students, students! Calm, please, sit down!" the teacher barked, trying to regain control.

"Dana, Shelby, stop messing around!" shouted Nemo, but then she felt her leg catch a cable that had come loose in the fuss, and heard a sickening crash as a piece of electronic equipment landed on the ground behind them.

"Nemo, Maxie, the other girl!" cried Jordan, more unhelpfully still, "watch ooout!"

Nemo turned in time to see Ashley grab the whiteboard for support, and saw it part from the wall as the giant, rectangular board toppled from its hinges to meet them…

"What a disaster."

"You said it."

"Shut up, Maxie."

They were in the lavatories, each of them lined before a basin and mirror. Their uniforms were splattered with ink, which the teacher had demanded they cleaned up along with their make-up whilst she thought of a suitable punishment.

"I'm not going back in there," said Nemo, dully. "We can't remove our make-up because then we'll look like the missing students from Gaia."

"But Nemo," piped up Jordan, "we ARE the missing students from Gaia!"

"I know that, you damned idiot!"

"If only you'd let me be Shelby, this wouldn'ta' happened!" whined Maxie, splashing water across her front.

"We need a new plan," said Ashley, "any ideas, Jordan?"

"Don't ask her for ideas, it was her stupid outfits and high heels that got us into this," snapped Nemo.

"But they worked, didn't they? I know these wigs, shoes and glasses are annoying, but if we didn't have them then we might have been recognised," said Ashley, coolly. Nemo looked sideways to see her kneel down beside Jordan, who was slumped over her basin with grief. "So don't be upset, Jordan."

"Please," hissed Nemo, as she went to the door. "Science is our first period. D'you think they'll let us miss class if we say we want to try-out for the beyblading team?"

'No' was Ashley's honest answer, but they all agreed it was worth a try.

To Nemo's utter amazement, the deputy head gave them all authorised absence slips at the mention of 'try-outs', and assured them more slips for the rest of the week should they make the team.

"They must be desperate for more team members if they're letting us miss class for the rest of the week," Ashley said, thoughtfully, "must mean they haven't found any suitable candidates yet!"

Nemo couldn't suppress a grin; if they acquired badges under these guises, they would be eligible to stay in hotels for the price of nothing and they wouldn't have to camp out any more.

They walked onward in silence until they reached the school sports hall. It was empty except for a loitering teacher, a few students who looked like they'd just been rejected, and Toby.

He looked at each of them as they walked in. "Library's next door, girls."

"We weren't heading for the library," said Ashley indignantly, pushing her glasses further up her nose.

"We've come to try out for the beyblading team!" said Maxie.

Toby raised an eyebrow, and Nemo could tell he recognised the boisterous tone in her voice. Apparently, Maxie thought so too, so she added "… sir."

"Oh, right. Bought your launchers, have you?" he asked them.

Nemo, Maxie and Jordan whipped out each of their launchers; Ashley, on the other hand, said "I'm not competing; I'm just their coach and moral supporter."

"Well, I'll be doing the coaching from now on if your comrades are good enough to make the team," Toby managed a smile at her. "But be wary, girls: my standards are high, and they have to be to stand a chance against Vitale, Bluefort's lead blader."

"There's that name again," groaned Maxie, and everyone looked at her. "Uh, sorry… it's just… someone was telling us about his battle on the dome wall…"

"Oh yes, I was there. It was one intense battle," said Toby, his eyes twinkling with pride. Nemo turned away, feeling resentful, and knew she couldn't afford not to make the team and battle at the event.

"Anyway, names, girls…?"

They each introduced themselves and Toby bestowed them all a warm smile in turn.

"Right, if I could ask the two strongest bladers to take positions besides this beystadium – let's see what you're made of."

Nemo beckoned Maxie forward and took a stance opposite her.

"Players ready?" Toby asked, lazily. "Three, two, one…"

Dromeda and Leonine met each other in the middle of the stadium with an explosion of sparks; they rebounded and came at each other again.

Nemo looked around at Toby to see if he recognised her purple Dromeda bey, and wondered if she should've used a different one. To her surprise, he hadn't recognised it, and she felt both relieved and partially offended it hadn't made an impact on him.

"Leonine!" roared Maxie.

"Dromeda!"

The beys swerved and accelerated at each other. With a bang, they soared into the air, and Toby clapped his hands together in awe. Dromeda landed securely in the arena and Leonine fell into Maxie's open palm as she conceded defeat.

"Great battle, girls!" Toby applauded them, "you're definitely on the team. You're by far the best bladers I've had in this hall."

"Excuse your misinterpretation, Toby."

Nemo turned around. They'd been joined by a seedy-looking boy Nemo had spotted huddled in a corner when they'd first arrived. He resembled an overgrown rat with matted dark hair and a slightly tanned complexion. His bushy eyebrows were raised with an accompanying scowl.

Toby drew himself upright, and towered over the new arrival. "I apologise, Ferdi, but I believe honesty is the best policy," he said.

"Then I hope you're not looking for a career in politics, Toby. If you believed in honesty, you would've forewarned these girls of my considerable talents before giving them false hope that they'd all make the team."

Nemo blinked. "What are you talking about?"

Toby grimaced and turned to the rest of the team.

"This is Ferdi," he said, "your sub."

"Sub?" the seedy-looking boy scowled even harder, "I can't think of a less suitable prefix to describe my importance to this team, Toby."

"Well, I'm afraid I can, Ferdi." Toby said, coolly. "As it happens, two of these girls have already outperformed you in the try-outs, and I suspect the third one will, too. From the looks of it, these three ladies are the lucky break this school has been looking for and I'm afraid victory takes rather higher priority for me than whatever ideals of self-gain that may have occurred to you."

"Your words offend me. I, too, pursue victory for this team, which my abilities will no doubt secure."

"You are wrong," Toby answered him, "I said you'd be on the team, but I didn't say you wouldn't be sub. And if Jodie here outperforms you, then that's how things will be staying."

Without another word, Ferdi turned on his heel and marched away, disrespectfully flinging the double doors shut behind him.

Toby stamped his foot in frustration. "Him! Don't mind Ferdinand, honestly. He doesn't have half the talent he claims to."

"Who is he? And what's his problem?" asked Ashley.

"He's a beyblader I met the other day. He's nothing special, but compared to the rest of the clowns who showed up…" Toby muttered, and sighed. "Please forgive me for my terminology. I just really want to do the team and the school justice."

"We understand," said Ashley, who patted his arm reassuringly.

Toby led them outside and to a large bank that overshadowed a river. Nemo suspected that the river was connected to the one that ran through Bluefort and Redberg, parting them.

"Here," said Toby, "one of the beyblading rounds at the event requires you to skim your bey across a pool, as quickly as you can. It's supposed to test your balance."

There was a pause. Maxie broke it first by saying, "cool."

Toby smiled at her and turned to Jordan. "Jodie, isn't it? If you could take your position on one side of the bank, and we'll see what you can do. And – er… try to make this good, won't you? I don't want Ferdi being anything except a sub if I can help it."

"Why?" interrupted Nemo, and Toby's eyes flickered at her.

"Because," he said, lowering his voice. "He's rude, he misses practice, he often reminds me he only joined this team because he didn't make the boys' football, and on top of that he failed to notify me he was facing partial suspension."

Ashley gaped at him. He nodded and mouthed, "I don't trust him."

He patted Jordan's back and stepped back to allow her space. Jordan nodded stupidly at him, retrieving her watermelon-coloured launcher and matching bey.

Ashley leaned in closer to Nemo to bombard her with frantic whispers.

"But Jordan can't skim blade! Can she?"

"Not even sure I can," answered Nemo, truthfully.

"How can he expect her to? He's supposed to be teaching us how to do this, isn't he? What if she doesn't – oh!"

Jordan's Bubblez bey had flown across the water, skimming it effortlessly and landing neatly on the opposite bank, where it hopped in place on its trademark spring.

"Bravo!" shouted Toby, beaming at her. Maxie folded her arms with renewed jealousy. Nemo and Ashley exchanged befuddled looks, wondering where the likes of Jordan had learned that technique.

Toby was still beaming all the way back to reception, and hardly noticed when the four of them were evasive answering questions about their identities to the receptionist. Finally, the machine in the room behind them churned and moments later, the receptionist had presented them each with new badges and valid student I.D cards.

She bit back a laugh as she examined them – their fake details were imprinted on each one in large font besides their photographs, which showed them dressed in their huge wigs and glasses and make-up.

Ferdi joined them on the school field and Toby lined them up before him, speaking to the team as a whole.

"In exactly seven days' time," he began, "the beyblading rounds will be in process. As your coach, I must ask you to forestall all other arrangements until the event is over; your training must be your highest priority. I may call unprecedented coaching sessions to ensure you meet the standard I want you to be at in time for the game."

"Roger that!" shouted Maxie, pulling a salute.

"For the most part, though, my hours are pretty reasonable. You will meet me here every day from nine to eleven and two to four, even on weekends. I would do longer, but I have work. Are you all in agreement with my conditions so far?"

They all nodded their heads, except for Jordan, who had started to drool again. Toby waited patiently for her, and after a little while, she, too, nodded.

"Do not think your current position on the team is set in stone; I may remove or replace players as I see fit, or make somebody else substitute." Toby glanced at Ferdi, but quickly looked away at the sight of his reaction to this happy news.

"And lastly, you're all obviously aware by now that Vitale is playing for Bluefort."

"As if people haven't talked about it enough!" whined Maxie, loudly.

"Nobody can spin better than Vitale," said Ferdi, silkily. "If any of you ladies throw in the towel mid-game, I'll gladly take the man's battle in your place."

Nemo clenched her fists and fought back the urge to punch his weedy face.

"Yes, I know Vitale's a good beyblader, but regardless… this is a competition and facing someone of his calibre is no excuse for you not to try your very best. Any questions, folks?"

"When does training commence?" asked Ashley.

"Now," Toby replied, bluntly.

A few minutes later, Toby was herding them up the sports field to run laps. Nemo wouldn't have minded it if it hadn't been for Maxie, who lumbered behind the rest of the team and forced them to continuously stop and wait for her to catch her breath.

Physical training of this nature continued for the rest of the week. Every day at the scheduled times, Toby shepherded them onto the field and made them do warm-up exercises and laps before engaging them in launching practice and coaching them on making her technique better.

Nemo initially didn't find his routine demanding, but after a while, became fatigued by his keeping them longer than the scheduled time and summoning them for preposterously early sessions, not helped by the fact she had a make-over to do and a wig to put on each morning to maintain her guise.

"You mean you have seen them?" squealed the real Dana to the clerk, who blinked rapidly.

"Why, yes," Jahane replied, observing the four mugshots she'd been given. "These girls tried to book a room here a few days ago, but were unable to provide proper identification."

"Thank you so much for your help!" Dana said, taking the pictures and rushing outside to find Cinthia and Jodie.

"They're here!" she panted, "the receptionist at the Red Rose Hotel said so!"

Cinthia threw her fist into the sky in celebration, but Jodie slumped forwards and gave a tired little sigh.

"Like, how does that make our search any easier?" she moaned, "so we know they're staying in Redberg, that's still an entire city we've gotta' search! Like, let's just give up and pretend we tried and let the right people deal with this matter!"

Dana surveyed her, then said, quietly, "don't you want to lead the cheerleading squad, Jodie?"

"Oh, like, you know how to sweeten the kitty, don't you?" Jodie snapped, but her words had done the trick: she looked more motivated for the rest of the afternoon.

"Nemo's the kind of stubborn mule who doesn't give up just because someone else tells her she can't do something," Cinthia observed, "she'll find a way to compete on the day if she really wanted to. It's just a case of how."

They scratched their heads as they contemplated their next move. It slowly dawned upon them that beside them was a poster adorned with a picture of the ship and the title "INTER-SCHOOL SPORTS: BEYBLADING", along with Toby's contact details.

Nemo pushed her false weave away from her eyes as she watched the battle below; Dromeda was speeding around the edge of the arena with Leonine, and Ferdinand's army-camouflage coloured bey was hot on their pursuit. Bubblez bounced innocently in the centre of the dish, ready to jump over any attacker.

"Faster, Ferdi – faster, Dana – keep up with Cinthia, remember what we rehearsed!" ordered Toby from behind them.

"Useless piece of crap," muttered Ferdi, "I can't make it go any damned faster, Toby!"

Nemo and Maxie exchanged smirks. Dromeda slowed down deliberately to let Leonine catch up, and then they frolicked lazily around each other, pretending to attack each other.

Ferdi hissed as he looked up. "You're tag-teaming me, aren't you? That's not fair, this is supposed to be a battle royale – "

"I don't know what you're talking about," Nemo waved him down, "Dromeda, attack Leonine!"

Dromeda swung forwards and slammed into Leonine, but the aim and projection of the attack meant Leonine slammed into Ferdi's bey, which landed outside the arena as Leonine continued to circle it, mostly unharmed.

"Hard luck, Ferdi." Toby said, coolly, as Ferdi cursed and struck his knee. "We need to work on your speed and control. Even the sub on this team has a job to fulfil, despite the odds of you getting to play being fairly sl– hey!"

Ashley gave a small gasp; Ferdi had lifted his foot and crushed his bey beneath it until it was a mass of plastic beads on the ground. He trudged away to the door of their training room, clearly intending to leave.

"Why did you do that? The big game's this week!" Toby said, in outrage.

"Don't sweat it, I'll get a better one. A beyblade isn't worthy if it doesn't reflect my potential," said Ferdi. "I refuse to lose, not even to a bunch of cheats who can't follow the battle parameters."

"We didn't cheat," said Nemo.

"Liar. You teamed me with Dana. That attack… I know you're lying, you – stop it! Toby, they are!"

Nemo and Maxie were howling with heightened laughter as Dromeda and Leonine weaved innocently between each other. Toby shook his head and sighed.

"You're hiding something!" Ferdi said, pointing at them. "I know you aren't who you say you are! Those wigs – forgetting your names – "

"Cool it, Ferdi. You've received a lot of cautions already about your behaviour." Toby warned him.

"What do I care if I'm not sub?" Ferdi said, snidely. "What do I care I'm not on your pathetic team? Just drop me already, won't you, and spare me the liberty of quitting anyway because I don't meet the membership requirement of being a sham!"

He slammed the door behind him, and Toby rounded on the rest of the team.

"Go apologise to him later," he said.

"But – "

"No. We're a team and we can't let spite tarnish our chances of winning," Toby said. "If you don't respect my wishes, then you're out."

Empty threat in the absence of replacement members, Nemo thought to herself, but she did not challenge his words.

Ferdi watched them go from afar in the light of the dying Sun, then he slipped around the back of the school building and made for the gates. He followed the river through a thick set of brambles which had a hallowed out path through them and found his Bluefortian friends at the agreed location on the bridge overlooking the river that disjointed the two cities.

Ferdi approached them and wordlessly accepted a cigarette from one of them. He dragged on it and felt instantly at ease, resentment for the battle being wiped from his mind like a blank slate.

"News?" said one.

"The irritating loud one forgot her name twice at training today. Kept referring to herself as 'Shelby'." Ferdi said. "They say they live here but they've got hotel rooms, I spied on them going home from training one day. They're definitely rejects from another school far away, probably expert bladers scouted by Redberg higher-ups trying to bag a victory for their city."

He exhaled and let the smoke dissipate around him in the air before adding, "well, one of them's an expert, at least."

"It's fine, Ferd. We'll find out their real identities, and then they'll be sorry they ever degraded themselves into representing those Redberg desperados," said another, slightly older boy, his black hood completely hiding his face.

"Give us a name, Ferd. We've agreed Noah here – " said the first boy, pushing his companion's shoulder, " – will do the honours of taking them out and tricking them into reaping all their team's secrets. He's loaded, and girls like that."

"That blonde one," said Ferdi, "calls herself Jodie Halliday. You know the one I mean? The really vacant, stupid-looking one. She looks like she'll fall for anything two eyes, two ears and a mouth that says 'I love you'."

"Settled."

"Don't forget what I want in return, Vance."

The boy with the black hood looked up, so his face was in slightly less shadow.

"A bit-beast? We've agreed this wage to you only if you help destabilise these bladers."

"I don't just want any bit-beast any more. I want HER bit-beast," said Ferdi, "the expert blader's I mentioned. You wondered how she defeated you so easily, Noah. She has one – I heard Dana talking about it coming out of training yesterday."


	19. Chapter 19 - The Burning Ring of Fire

**Chapter 19 – The Burning Ring of Fire**

The following day, the real Cinthia, Jodie and Dana found themselves crouched in a bush outside the unknown man's house, attempting to push each other into ringing the doorbell of the pleasant semi-detached property. Eventually, they agreed they had a better chance of being listened to if they appeared on his doorstep together.

"Hello, ladies!" Toby smiled at them as the door swung open, "no brownies for me today, thank you, I'm on a strict diet at the moment."

"Pardon me, sir, but we're not here to sell you anything," said Dana, graciously. "My name's Dana, and this is Jodie and Cinthia. We're here because we saw an advertisement in the city centre saying that you were a beyblading coach."

Toby considered them for a moment and gave them a knowing smile; almost a leer, Dana thought.

"Cinthia, Jodie and Dana? Is that so? Where's Shelby, then?"

The trio exchanged questioning looks; how did he know Shelby?

"She's… she's back home in Gaia," Dana stammered.

"How peculiar! She was with me this morning. Gaia's quite a distance away, isn't it? Right across the highland in the south of Circum Pars."

"She's a fast walker," said Cinthia, waving the trivial matter down. "Speaking of Gaia, what we really wanted to know, sir, is whether you've met any Gaian bladers recently? We've been looking for them all morning – here – "

She tried to push the mugshots into his hand, but he brushed them aside without interest. "As a matter of fact, I have met a Gaian blader or two recently."

"You have?" squealed Jodie, looking surprised.

"Although, I don't suppose Shelby counts, does she? She's just the self-entitled 'moral supporter' of the team, isn't she? Not a blader." Toby said, testily.

Dana and Jodie fixated each other with faces of utmost confusion. Cinthia hovered between them stupidly, the mugshots of Nemo and the other Ripmongers clasped uselessly in one hand.

Toby leaned against the doorframe, smiling wearily. "Look, if you're going to impersonate my team trying to find out our game plan, at least get your numbers correct. These cheap tactics are no less than I would have expected of Bluefort associates."

"But we're not from Bluefort, we're from Gaia!" piped up Jodie.

"You said you were here all morning, or are you fast walkers as well?"

"You would be too if you knew there was a fit hockey hunk of the opposite sex waiting for you at the end of all the effort," muttered Dana, looking dreamy-eyed. "Vitaleee…"

"Thank you, girls, but I think I've heard enough to conclude what you're trying to do. Perhaps you can use those fast walking skills to escort yourselves off my property," said Toby, making to shut the door, but Cinthia's foot caught it and held it still.

"It's not what it looks like!" she pleaded. "You can't do this to us! We can't go until we find these missing people! I've never worked this far away from home before, my boyfriend can't deal with it!"

"We're not trying to be anyone else, we're happy just the way we are!" agreed Dana, as Jodie nodded vigorously over her shoulder.

"Oh yeah?" said Toby, thinking of the Leonine bey, "what colour is your bey, then, supposed 'Dana'?"

She blinked. "Erm… red…"

"That's it, get off my lawn before I call the police!"

The Rebellion Ripmongers received more vigorous training still in the days leading to the inter-school sports competition, and not to mention, Nemo thought bitterly, steadily more ridiculous and last minute times for these sessions to unfold. They were all careful to maintain their guises faithfully, except Jordan, who made Nemo cringe loudly whenever she forgot her character's name and details.

Ferdi rarely joined them and Toby had even hinted his removal from the team; the next few times Nemo had seen him, it'd been alongside some suspicious-looking guys in dark alleyways who studied her uncomfortably closely as she went by.

The previously dead city centre was bustling with activity during the day, probably, Ashley pointed out, because of visitors booking rooms in time to watch the game. Indeed, Nemo felt very self-conscious making her way to practice every day with so many familiar faces appearing around the corner, but she also felt slightly reassured when none of them recognised her and knew that her disguise was strong.

Two days before the event was due to take place, each coach and their team was summoned to the county dome. Nemo feigned illness, fearing capture, so that afternoon Ashley, Maxie, Jordan and Toby trudged in the direction of the dome without her.

"Beybladers?" an event manager said, firing this question at them from afar. "You'll be positioned here – if you'd all like to learn the protocol, the referee will announce your name, you'll walk out along this line and wave to the audience – "

Ashley nodded without paying attention. Jordan was completely in a daydream, surveying boy members of other teams on the field. One of the boys she'd been checking out marched up to her, looking particularly tall and handsome from this close.

"Hey, there. Do you have a map?"

"No," replied Jordan, "why?"

"Because I keep getting lost in your eyes." He answered her, with a playful nudge and a wink. Jordan giggled and batted her eyelashes.

"I'm Noah. What's your name?"

"Jordan," she said, forgetting her pseudonym as usual.

"Jordan?" he repeated blankly, and all the cheekiness drained from his face as if through a plug. He stumbled for words and shot looks over his shoulder. "Geez, this is really awkward. Well – "

"Noah, what's wrong?"

He gave a small cough and cleared his fault. "I thought you were someone else. I'm so sorry. You looked like… er, maybe we can get to know each other better sometime." He pulled his collar and blushed red like a plum, then casually tried to fall back amidst the crowd.

Jordan watched him go, sadly. He approached a gaggle of cheerleaders sporting pink pom-poms, a group she would've been a part of if she hadn't run away, Jordan thought to herself.

"… I'm Noah. What's your name?"

"Jodie. Jodie Halliday!" the girl he was talking to replied. Jordan's heart did a backflip and her eyes dropped to the girl on Noah's right; her sister's similarities to her were uncanny even from this distance.

Noah grinned as he found his apparent target. "I've noticed you around in Redberg – you're Cinthia and Dana's teammate, aren't you? Um, if you don't mind, I'd love to get to know you better. Can we arrange something? Like, six o'clock at the pictures in Bluefort?"

Jodie exploded with chatter as she accepted Noah's advances. Jordan eyed her enviously from this distance as he took her arm, smirking, leading her from the rest of her cheerleader companions.

"You – are you even listening, over there?" the event manager hollered as he rounded on Jordan. "What did I just say? What's the protocol?"

Jordan stuttered, "w-wait for your name to be announced, walk along the line, wave, stand at your allocated position and wait for the round to commence!"

He eyed her suspiciously and turned his back to her. Jordan thanked her lucky stars a similar routine was performed in her old cheerleading days; Ashley quickly cottoned onto this fact too, for she thumped Jordan's back and laughed, "you forgot the bit where you wave your pom-poms around!"

"I wish," said Jordan, staring sadly at the place Jodie had been before the handsome boy had dragged her away.

Ashley turned to Toby, whom had a dark look in his eyes.

"Practice at eight tonight, you guys," he said, briskly, "don't be tardy. I've sized up your competition from the other schools and they far surpass the standards I was expecting."

"Toby," began Ashley, looking exasperated, "we'll soon be in a training session of yours more than we are not. I really don't think it's necessary to – "

"It's necessary for you guys!" gloated someone behind her, and she turned to see a gang of Bluefort hoodlums following Noah out. "I mean, winning doesn't come naturally for you when you're a Redbuffoon! Enjoy choking on our dust this Friday!"

They laughed and disappeared beyond a bunch of boys carrying rackets. Toby looked moodier still, and Ashley decided not to challenge his requests.

That evening, Jodie and Noah emerged from the cinema talking nonchalantly together, arms interlocked together to prevent being separated amidst the crowd. Jodie casually noted how much busier it was in Bluefort than Redberg, but said nothing to Noah about her hotel location of choice in light of the tense climate she knew existed between the two cities.

"I have some really great friends I'd like you to meet," Noah said, pulling the rapidly talking Jodie out of the crowd. "C'mon, they're around here somewhere."

" – And that guy at the end, he was so ratchet, like, there were so many plot threads that weren't fleshed out, and those costumes – Noah, wait, where are we going?"

Jodie stumbled as Noah pulled her from the broth of the crowd into a street party that was taking place a few roads away. He introduced them to the rest of his cronies; unbeknownst to Jodie, they were the antagonists of the opposing Redberg High team, with Vance as their leader. They acted politely, asking her about the film, which she gladly reviewed at the speed of light, talking with the force of all of their gang combined.

Noah eventually pulled her away again for some dinner, and they stopped outside a pizza parlour he'd recommended to her earlier.

"Don't savour your al forno too much, or there'll be no bruschetta con funghi left for you!" goaded Jodie as she finished wolfing down another starter they'd ordered with no leftovers to spare.

Noah blinked, his eyes darting to the assembly of empty plates on the side of the table.

"Is chewing not a thing in Redberg?" he asked, almost to himself as Jodie clicked her fingers at a passing waiter for another cherryade top-up.

"No, silly – it's being part of a family of five, with an ESPECIALLY greedy twin sister to compete for desserts with!" hiccoughed Jodie, dabbing her mouth with her napkin clumsily.

"So, what did you say your hobbies were?" asked Noah. "Cheerleading… cycling…"

"… Fashion, instant messaging, bad toe-wrestling with my sisters – "

"Anything else?" insisted Noah, awaiting the word 'beyblading' to escape her lips.

"Yes! My dogs, Tipsy and Daisy." Jodie finished, without asking him his interests in turn.

The waiter took their empty plates and they waited for their main courses. Noah decided to take this opportunity to impress her with French.

"You look beautiful." He said.

"Thanks! So do you – well, actually, I don't suppose guys like being told that, do they?"

"I don't mind," said Noah, gazing into her eyes with false longing. She flashed him a smile and he recited, " _je serai po_ _é_ _te et toi po_ _é_ _sie._ "

"Oh, I never studied that language, anyway," she laughed, making him crumple on the table. Their waiter returned seconds later with fresh piles of food.

Meanwhile, Nemo, Ashley, Maxie and Jordan were walking alongside the bank of the river in the direction of the school in between excited talking.

"… And we saw Alonso and Johnny at the dome, didn't we, Maxie? Most of the Gaia High teams were there – Johnny didn't look too happy, though…" Ashley was saying.

"Yeah, he's probably still real upset you left him and never got back in touch, Fishy," Maxie said, her arms lazily strung behind her head as she walked. "We all know he fancies you."

"Does not!" said Nemo, concealing a smirk. Jordan walked a little way from them, still jealous at Jodie for stealing her own potential boyfriend.

"Come on, Nemo, embrace the fact he's your perfect match." Ashley said, as Maxie chortled nearby. "He misses you dearly. Maybe you can take him for a meal at the Red Rose – it's a perfect symbol of your true love for each other."

"Shut up, Ash!" Nemo shouted, as Maxie howled beside them like a dog. "He may be a boy, and yeah, he's my friend, but he's not my boyf– "

"No – that's Jackie, isn't it?" said Maxie, clutching her sides.

"Oh, yeah," said Ashley, smiling even more broadly still. "Jackie, her one TRUE love. Have you stayed in touch, Nemo?"

"If you guys keep using our real names in public – "

"Changing the subject?" Ashley teased her. "Signs are saying I think you love Jackie. What do you think, Jordan – oops, I mean, er – Jodie?"

She turned around. Jordan had stopped in her tracks and was staring blankly ahead.

"Jordan, what's gotten into you?"

"I'M supposed to be Jodie!" she hollered. "That guy – I told him I was Jordan, he thought I wasn't the Jodie on this team! He took my sister to dinner in Bluefort thinking she was me because she looks like me and her name is the same as my secret identity!"

Without another nonsensical word, she stormed back the way they'd come.

"Jordan! I mean, Jodie! Argh!" Ashley said, clutching her head.

"Let's go after her," muttered Nemo, who was quite used to Jordan's idiosyncrasies at inconvenient times by now. "She probably forgot to recharge her batteries before she left her room this evening. You know how her brain needs all the power it can get."

They made to follow her, but a cream-coloured bey shot over their heads and slammed into a tree in front of them, making sparks fly. They stopped in their tracks and looked around.

"Who's there?!" demanded Maxie, and Toby appeared from around the corner. Ashley recognised the dark facial expression he'd had at the dome.

"You're late for practice," he said, pocketing his launcher.

"Leave it out, Toby."

Nemo stepped forward, removing her own launcher and matching purple bey from her pocket. Toby folded his arms and remained unimpressed.

"You're my best contender, but not the County Dome's best on Friday if you don't shape up and come to sessions." He said.

Nemo opened her mouth to speak, when the grinding noise behind her stopped. She launched Dromeda in time to defend herself as Pyxius propelled itself in the direction of her head. Both beys collided in mid-air and fell to the ground, where they moved to join their respective owners.

"Maxie, go get Jordan," hissed Ashley, "if she ventures anywhere near Bluefort, then we'll be on our knees on Ferdi's doormat tomorrow begging him sub for our empty place on the team."

Maxie understood and turned to go, but Pyxius sped in front of her, causing her to tumble. Dromeda caught up to it and chased after it, matching its speed, and Maxie was engulfed within a cloud of dust.

"If we're a player down this evening, don't skive off practice for her sake," said Toby, "come anyway and I'll deal with Jodie individually tomorrow morning to make up for lost time. How does seven sound?"

"We're not going to keep following your ludicrous practice regime!" Nemo shouted.

"We all want to win, Toby, but not so we potentially injure ourselves! You're getting even more competitive than those Bluefort scoundrels!" cried Ashley.

"Don't you get it yet? How else do you think they've stormed the inter-school event over Redberg for the past God-knows how long?" Toby said, his voice shaking. Ashley bit her lip and watched as the two beys fell into a tight circle.

"I don't lower myself to my opponents' level," said Nemo, coolly, through the cloud of dust the spinning tops were generating. "Or else they'll beat me with experience."

"It's such a nice evening."

Jodie was slumped against Noah's shoulder, enjoying the illusion of isolation Bluefort park offered them. In actual fact, more of Noah's cronies including Vance were stashed behind a bush listening to their every word and pulling faces at them, but Jodie remained blissfully unaware of this as they studied the reflections in the water under the quickly darkening sky.

"You think so?" Noah grinned.

"I hate you, Noah."

"Why?"

"Why'd you, like, have to live all the way out in Bluefort?"

"We're within walking distance, though. We're separated by nothing but water and the stupid friction that exists between Redberg and Bluefort."

"You think it's stupid too, then?" Jodie inclined her head to watch Noah.

"Completely," Noah lied through his own teeth.

"We're not within walking distance if you're not a fast walker," Jodie said, thinking of her hometown of Gaia many miles away.

Noah smiled, confused by her comment, but did not press the topic; he had a job to fulfil, as the occasional rustles in the leaves behind him reminded him.

"I was so alone before now."

"Have you ever had a girlfriend before, Noah?"

"No," he simpered, "I've never felt this way about a girl before."

"Oh, Noah… once this whole sports thing's over, and my cheerleading stint is done, like, we have to figure something out."

Cheerleading? Noah thought to himself. That explained why she hadn't mentioned beyblading once; perhaps she was the moral supporter of the team that Ferdi had foretold them of, he thought.

"I don't know if that's possible, Jodie."

"Of course it is. You've got your student rep badge, and you can – "

"I don't mean that," said Noah, now frowning. "I mean, how can we be together if you keep secrets from me like this?"

"Noah?"

Jodie lifted her head and stared inquisitively at him. He took a moment to respond, pleased with the effect he was creating.

"I like you. More than you think," he said, "but you won't even do me the favour of being truthful and open about yourself with me."

"Noah, what are you talking about? I've told you everything!"

"You're not from around here, are you?"

"When did I say I was?" Jodie said, "I'm from Gaia!"

"Are your friends from Gaia, too?"

"Yes!"

"You're not really enrolled at Redberg High?"

"No! Like – didn't I just say I was from Gaia?"

A smirk crept up Noah's face and the gang members in the bush jeered silently.

"It's just like Ferdi said," Vance whispered, "she's been scouted by Redberg despots looking to bring back a win for their pathetic city. We could get them disqualified for this!"

Noah's hand slipped around Jodie's and he pulled her closer. She looked slightly bewildered, but welcomed his erratic advances.

"I'm so glad you've finally been able to open up with me."

"It's never been some big secret, Noah," said Jodie, smiling at him warmly. "Just ask me if you think something's up. I'll tell you anything."

"Kiss me, Jodie."

Jodie shuddered slightly, but Noah took both her hands firmly, trying to reassure her. They were encased within semi-darkness now, and Jodie could feel him lean forwards, his face inches from her, and she reciprocated his movement –

There was a loud click from the bush as Vance slid his bey into his launcher. "We'll cut the sappy nonsense, I think," he muttered, hardly troubling to keep his voice to a whisper.

"But Vance," another said, but he was already taking aim through the thinnest patch of bush.

"We have what we want, don't we? How long do we have to witness their fictitious affair for? If I was Noah, I'd actually thank me for this," said Vance, and he tugged on his rip cord.

His black bey coloured with violent red stripes shot out from the bush, directly for Jodie's head, which was an inch from Noah's, their lips parted to meet –

"NO!" came a shout in the distance, and a watermelon-coloured bey slammed into Vance's and deflected the attack.

Noah and Jodie dived off the bench in fright. Noah's Bluefort cronies sprung from their hidey holes, launchers at hand, as another blonde that looked like Jodie hurtled towards the would-be lovebirds with the full force of a prep denied of her man.

"That's my date you've got there, WRONG Jodie!" roared Jordan, throwing her wig onto the ground.

"Your date? YOUR date?" repeated Jodie. "YOU abandoned your chances of a successful relationship when you left Gaia and became an outcast!"

"Hey, that's the girl who was part of that team! Isn't it, Noah?" piped up one crony, pointing at Jordan.

"They look so similar!"

"How do we know which is which?"

Jordan grappled Noah's hands and pleaded him with her eyes. "Okay Noah, if you have anything you wanted to say to me, say it now you know that I'm the girl you wanted! I'm the beyblader, my sister behind me is just a cheerleader!"

"Can someone please tell me what's going on here?" came another voice.

"That's what I'd like to know," said Noah, feebly.

Jodie pushed Jordan aside, inhaling deeply. "Alright, I should've known it would come to this. It's time I cleared something up," she began, "I'm not the real Jodie. I'm her younger sister Jordan – yes, her less intelligent, not-as-good younger sister, Jordan. I was jealous of Jodie constantly scoring the boys for being part of the Redberg beyblade team, so like, I feigned being her to catch Noah's attention."

Jordan's arms flopped by her sides, her mouth ajar. Vance's eyes shifted between the two blondes. "So you're not Jodie?"

"Nope, the real Jodie is a legit part of Redberg High. I'm from Gaia." Jodie told him, praising her own acting.

"What do we do now, Vance?" his gang members had joined his side. His bey was still spinning.

"Go back, tell the others everything but tell my brother nothing," he ordered them, "find out where Ferdi is so I can kick his arse later, and someone play some violin music to Noah for the crushing loss it seems he's dealing with."

"Hey… she was cute, you know," mumbled Noah, blushing furiously. He turned to flee the park alongside the rest of the crew.

"Jodie, what are you doing?" whispered Jordan into her sister's ear, urgently.

"Just, like, go with it!" she hissed back, and Vance towered over them both, his bey swerving to meet him at his feet.

"If we've accomplished one thing tonight that isn't your disqualification from the competition, it's knowing that we have nothing to fear from your team if they're half as incompetent as you bimbos." He said, cruelly. "But here's kind regards from me for making our job easier. Go, Lacerta!"

His bey veered forwards, but was quickly stopped in its tracks by a yellow bey that came to meet it. Jodie was holding her launcher and breathing deeply; Jordan's Bubblez bey came to join it, and together they held Lacerta still with their combined efforts.

"Just because I'm a cheerleader, doesn't mean I'm not also, like, a beyblader thingy!" said Jodie, "enjoy losing to our sibling connection you never had with Vitale!"

"Funny you should mention him," said Vance, "he's the one who taught me this next attack. Lacerta, Ring of Fire!"

Lacerta backed away and began to form a circle of a five yard radius around the place Jordan and Jodie were standing. It smouldered as it gained speed, and soon became nothing but a blur of bright orange flames. The earth beneath it had become ignited.

"Jodie!" screamed Jordan, but she received a hard nudge to her side.

"As far as he's aware, you're Jodie!" she shouted.

"I'm scared! What should we do?!"

Vance sneered as his bey flew back into a gloved hand. He turned the other way and took off, after his comrades.

"Jordan! Jodie!" Cinthia and Dana were rushing up to them, but couldn't get too close to them for being immersed in a cloud of smoke. They were trapped.

"Get help!" Jodie yelled, and Cinthia and Dana disappeared into the smoke. She turned to Jordan, who nodded.

"Bubblez, bounce!" She cried, and watched her bey fly into the air, over the flames. She navigated it from afar into the river, where it bounced in place on the surface of the water with the technique she'd practiced. It gained momentum and bounced up again, swooping low over the flames, dousing them with water droplets as the wet bey spun down to meet Jordan again.

Pyxius moved quickly and struck Dromeda, but Dromeda tilted to absorb the attack, holding its ground.

"Not bad." Toby mused.

"Balance, isn't that one of the rounds you said this competition consisted of?" said Nemo, "here's another, speed."

The two beys parted and Dromeda started moving around Pyxius in a tight circle, striking it from all directions. Toby's eyes widened as he watched.

"That bey…" he whispered, "there's something familiar about that attack pattern that I didn't notice during all this training,"

"Maybe because it's always been about winning to you, you never paid attention." Ashley said, quietly.

"What was the last one again?" asked Nemo, seeming almost bored. "Oh, yeah – strength."

Dromeda moved away and did a three hundred and sixty degree full turn, slamming into Pyxius and making it fly down next to its owner, who simply stared at Dromeda, aghast.

"You – you're not the Gaian bladers, are you?"

"Took you long enough," replied Nemo, as she strung her wig and glasses from her head. Ashley and Maxie made symmetrical movements, and Toby collapsed to his knees at the sight of them as Pyxius stopped spinning limply at his side.

"I remember everything!" he exclaimed. "Those brownies on my doorstep – now I understand what they meant! You're the people they were looking for, the people who saved my sign!"

"That's a good light to remember us in," laughed Ashley.

"You don't understand," he said, hoarsely, picking up his Pyxius bey. "Y-you're the best beybladers I've ever trained. With you, I had the possibility of finally snatching a win for Redberg. Why'd you have to turn out to be a bunch of – of – "

"Shams?" Maxie said, remembering Ferdi's words. Toby got to his feet, pulling his collar.

Nemo's gaze followed him. "Looks like I've finally surpassed you," she said, "any more training under your wing would be pointless."

"You're not eligible to compete, anyway," said Toby. "Redberg will have to forfeit the beyblade leg of the competition. I want to win, but I want to win honourably, without being carried by Gaian bladers."

"You mean you're sacking us after all this work?!" hollered Maxie.

"What choice do I have? You're not who you say you are."

"We're enrolled at Redberg High, that's all that matters," said Ashley. "There's nothing in the rulebook that says you can't play for one school if you're enrolled at two competing ones."

"Besides, I refuse to represent Gaia," said Nemo, "you call us Gaian bladers, but what does that even mean? I was born in Gaia, sure, but I don't represent its ideals, as you can probably tell because I ran away from the city. I've only been in Redberg for two weeks but I value this city's ideals over Gaia's and Bluefort's, and that's what matters. I'm not loyal to Gaia just because I spent thirteen miserable years there by circumstance."

"Why do you have to be so elitist and say we're not good enough to play?" insisted Maxie. "That's Bluefort's job!"

"Oh, alright, alright!" Toby said, waving down their protests. "I guess you have a point – although whatever you say, it isn't the ideal situation for you to compete because you're still going to have to wear those wigs and use those false identities – "

"Not a problem with me. I've grown so used to the wig, I feel weird without it," said Ashley.

" – But I mean, I get your argument – what DOES it mean to represent a city, at the end of the day?" said Toby, stroking his chin. "And I mean, most Bluefortians were indeed from Redberg before their parents switched to improve their businesses…"

He closed his eyes and shook his head, but looked at ease. "Alright, girls. You can play. God knows what you're getting from this, though. Even if you do defeat Vitale, who's never lost a battle, you don't get the recognition of winning."

Ashley sighed and walked straight up to him, looking him straight in the eyes. "I don't think he gets it yet, does he, Nemo?"

"Not one bit."

"Stop talking about winning," said Ashley, taking his arms. "Let's enjoy this sports event for what it was created to be: fun, a new life experience, and meeting awesome people like you who we've learned so much from."

"Shucks, guys," laughed Toby, looking uncomfortable. "You're right. It isn't about winning."

"Are you gonna' become a beyblader after all, Ash?" asked Maxie.

She laughed. "You know I couldn't spin a thread, let alone a bey."

"Sucks, that, 'cause we're gonna' need a new contender if we don't get our old one back," said Maxie, pointing behind her in the direction Jordan left.

It was getting dark by the time they'd crossed the bridge into Bluefort, searching frantically for Jordan. Passers-by advised them to check the park, so Toby was guiding them in that direction when Dana and Cinthia emerged from the distance.

Nemo realised with a pang of horror they'd left their wigs behind at the scene of the battle. Dana approached them, looking panicked, shouting, "guys! It's Jordan and Jodie! They're in trouble!"

"Where?" shouted Ashley, all thoughts about maintaining their cover gone from her mind.

Dana and Cinthia showed them to the park. By the time they got there, Jordan had completely extinguished the fire by dousing it with water collected by her bey from the river.

"Jordan was, like, amazing!" Jodie squealed, as the sisters embraced in tight hugs and hi-fives. "Absolutely nailed it! I can gladly accept being related to her, after all!"

"It was nothing, Jodie, it really wasn't!" Jordan blushed.

"Now I know why they say every decent guy is either taken or gay!" said Jodie, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "I was SO hoping Noah was actually genuine, like! I'm so glad I dragged my girlfriends Cinthia and Dana along secretly to supervise this 'date'. The weird stuff he asked me thinking I was you…"

"You had us so worried, Jordan! What made you run away like that?" cried Ashley.

"Probably smelt a barbecue in the distance," said Maxie, staring at the ring of burnt grass. "This is what happens when Jordan takes over the spatula."

"I hope whatever happened, it was bad," said Nemo, coldly. "It better be something like a goddamn miniature apocalypse for you to go and blow our covers to these traitors."

Cinthia, Dana and Jodie rounded on her at the same time, speaking in high-pitched protests. Nemo growled and shunted them aside.

"SHUT UP!" she said, making them stop. "You guys, Jordan too – you have thirty seconds to explain everything, and make it convincing, because I'm half-thinking we should knock you three unconscious before you try and get us done again."

"It's not like that anymore, Nemo!" cried Jodie. "We're through with MINDERS! Jordan can vouch for me if you don't believe me. I told them she was the real Jodie. I saved your team from disqualification!"

"That reminds me," said Jordan, "why'd you decide to save us, Jodie? Nemo said you were spying on us because of what happened last time we met you."

"We were," interjected Dana. "We were all promised something in turn for finding you and handing you in. I don't even want to meet Vitale anymore though, not if he's anything like his brother Vance!"

"They told me I could be the lead cheerleader!" laughed Jodie. "Like, I don't even care about that now! You've offered me a much better deal!"

"What do you mean?" said Maxie.

"Well, if you've created this entire beyblade team using our identities, and you win, then it's OUR names the crowd will be cheering, OUR names that'll go down in history!" said Jodie. "That's a far better bargain than what we were promised!"

"Just as well we didn't call ourselves Megan, Johnny and Alonso, huh, Nemo?" said Ashley.

"Yeah, well, I was prepared to put on a wig but I wasn't prepared to get a sex change, Ash," grumbled Nemo.

Cinthia jabbed a finger into Nemo's chest. "Y'know, little missy, if you're gonna' start masquerading around as me, ya'll better act and look the part! I don't wear Topshop, never!"

"I didn't think you wore clothes, period," snapped Nemo, glaring at Cinthia's exposed belly-button piercing.

"What we're trying to say," began Dana, with a little sigh, "is that we appreciate what you're doing and we're prepared to back you and support you every step of the way. Right, guys?"

"Right!" squealed Jodie.

"Nothing like undeserved fame for the achievements of others!" nodded Cinthia.

"And if you wanted to know what my last name is," said Dana, nudging Maxie playfully, "it's Brooke. B-r-o-o-k-e. I won't be happy if 'Dana Perone' gets written in the sky in fireworks when you win."

"I'm so glad everything's worked out between you," smiled Toby, "and I, er – must apologise to you ladies for my hostile behaviour towards you on my doorstep."

"They're not off the hook yet," said Nemo. "How did you guys know where to look for us? General County, of all places?"

Ashley raised her hand, looking regretful.

"That would've been me. I told them about our plans to participate at the inter-school sports event whilst we were back in Clow."

"What? Weren't you supposed to be the smart one, Ash?!" Nemo shouted at her.

"Chill out, Nemo. It's lucky everything turned out the way it did, we're on your side now," said Dana.

"You owe us big time for telling MINDERS we were here, let alone in Clow." Nemo shot at her, angrily.

"And we will owe you one," said Jodie. "Because you guys are gonna' need us this Friday. MINDERS intend to have, like, half the Gaian police force stationed at the County Dome awaiting your arrival. You're not going to get through this event without inside knowledge, and that's what we have."

There was a pause. Nemo's fists untightened as she acknowledged defeat.

"Whatever."

"Did you tell anyone else we'd be battling here?" asked Maxie.

"Just one person. Your sister, Corina," said Dana, softly. "She wishes you luck."


	20. Chapter 20 - Blading a Thousand

**Chapter 20 – Blading a Thousand**

The night before the competition, Nemo slept uneasily. Her slumber was plagued with horrible dreams of showing up to the dome late and missing the competition altogether, being left humiliated in front of an audience of fifty thousand people. Finally, she gave up on any further attempts to self-induce sleep, so she slipped out of bed, did her make-up and adjusted her wig, and then crept out of their hotel room.

The sky was red and pearly. It was dawn. In a few hours, Nemo knew, the roads would be gridlocked and the County Dome would be busier than Piccadilly Circus, so she took this opportunity to pay the dome a fleeting visit in the absence of people before her return for the big game.

She walked for five minutes and reached the border between Redberg and Bluefort. Two enormous tents had been erected either side of the dome for the competitors. Even at these dead hours, there were a few busy-bodies on the scene wheeling expensive equipment around in preparation for the event.

Nemo took the main entrance and climbed the stairs to the bottommost plinth. She walked around absent-mindedly, occasionally bumping into someone and apologising abruptly.

The sight of the playing field in all its glory saddened her rather than inspired her. She'd been eager to compete before, of course, but not at the potential expense of her freedom.

"Bee in your bonnet, Nemo?"

Nemo snapped out of her trance and spotted Jahane, the clerk from the Red Rose Hotel, sitting a few aisles below where she was stood. She was smiling.

"How do you know my name?!" she demanded, checking her wig to make sure it was still on her head.

Jahane smiled wider still. "My dear friend Toby pointed you out to me. Don't worry, I won't tell a soul, if that's what you're thinking."

When Nemo looked unconvinced, Jahane's smile faded and she continued, "you _can_ trust others, you know. We're not all in favour of your imprisonment; I have always opposed Devin Maiden and her extremist tactics."

"I don't even know who that is," Nemo said, bluntly, but then realised she was being rude. "Sorry, ma'am, but I just wish some people would learn to hold their tongue with secrets I entrust to them."

"I understand. If you don't want to tell me what's troubling you, that's perfectly alright, too."

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I attend to the off-stage accommodation for the student reps," said Jahane. "A less interesting ordeal than actually competing, but someone has to do it, I suppose."

"Oh," said Nemo, not really knowing what to say.

She awkwardly took the nearest seat. They sat in silence for a while, indulged in their personal thoughts.

"I'm thinking of running away again."

"Are you?" said Jahane, sharply. "And abandon your teammates? Why?"

"It's just a thought, doesn't mean I'm actually going to do it," Nemo said, defensively. "And it's because of how stressful this is gonna' be. Keeping my disguise, playing those Bluefort scumbags, all in front of thousands of people. I don't have to deal with it if I run away and nobody ever finds me again."

"So you're nervous?" Jahane asked, softly.

"I guess, but it's a bit more than that."

"Well, I can understand being nervous. It's a part of being human," Jahane shrugged, "I'd be a bag of nerves out there, if I was playing."

"Wait, you're a beyblader?"

"A closet beyblader," she laughed. "I'm getting too old for it, and my profession consumes most of my time."

She clapped her hands together and fixed Nemo with a smile. "I find when I'm presented with a daunting or seemingly impossible task, I need to find coping strategies to tackle my concerns."

"Coping strategies? Like what?" Nemo asked, dumbly.

"Well, forget the stress and the things that could go wrong and get down to the very essence of why you chose to compete in the first place." Jahane said, thoughtfully. "Why did you?"

Nemo considered her for a moment.

"Because of my stupid littlest sister, Corina," she said, "striking a bargain with me that I have to meet because I didn't beat her."

"No, you can do better than that," said Jahane, "go down deeper, and find the very single reason you're sat here now that isn't to do with other people telling you so."

Nemo thought a little bit harder. The Sun broke out over the horizon in a haze of gold, and watching it, the answer came to her lips almost instinctively.

"I have a score to settle with Vitale," she said, "something that concerns us both. Something that defines this whole competition. I don't know what to believe, but I don't think he does either, and that's what I've gotta' establish when we meet in battle."

That morning, the Ripmongers changed into their tracksuit outfits embroidered with Redberg's coat of arms before assembling at the crowd outside the dome. Toby had alieved them of training that afternoon, so they'd decided to spend it watching the proceedings, with Nemo reluctantly joining them on Ashley's whim.

"It's not fair that beyblade's the last competition held at this event," groaned Maxie. "What time did Toby say it was scheduled? Eight?"

"Yes, but you know they always run overtime at this event," said Ashley, "I guess beyblade's only just been enacted as a contending sport, so they had to throw it on at the very end."

"Sucks, the audience have to wait longer to see my 'skeelz'!" Maxie said, pumping her fists.

"Yeah, Maxie. They'll all be on their feet screaming 'Dana Brooke' once you've won. I bet you absolutely can't wait." Nemo said, rolling her eyes.

"Just as well, that," said Ashley, quietly. She poked Nemo and then pointed her in the direction of a band of security guards outside the front entrance.

Nemo spun round to face Jordan. "You see those security guards? Don't give them ANY reason to suspect you, or else. As far as they know, you're Jodie, and if you mess this up, it means Tyler hates you."

Jordan nodded and whimpered like the dog at the thought.

"Surprised to see you here, ladies," came a sly little voice. Ferdi had joined them; wearing what appeared to be face-paint made into the Bluefort coat of arms that covered one side of his face.

"Not disqualified from competing, then? Not fake enough to warrant it? You can spin a tale better than you can spin a bey, I'll give you that." He said.

"Oh yeah? Look at you!" Maxie said, walking right up to him and growling in his face. "Bluefort supporter, huh? You were playing for us a few days ago! You're the biggest flop I've ever seen!"

"What can I say? I've seen the error of my ways. I'm a born again Bluefortian and Vitale is the Holy Spirit that guides me." Ferdi said, miming having angel wings and a halo.

"Get lost, Ferdi, we don't need your crap." Ashley said.

"I'm just jesting…"

Ferdi sneered at her and swooped down on Jordan, snatching her Bubblez bey that was hidden in her pocket.

"Hey, give it back!"

"Look what I can do."

Ferdi balanced the bey on his finger and then started spinning it around, keeping it in place. Jordan tried to grab it from him, but he avoided her, laughing, until someone grabbed the collar of his t-shirt from behind.

"You, like, gonna' give my sister's bey back or…?" Jodie whispered into Ferdi's ear.

He grumbled and threw it forcefully back at Jordan, who caught it. Jodie let him go, and he trudged off to be with Noah, who was waiting in a queue nearby dressed in a tracksuit with Bluefort's colours.

The crowd dissolved quickly and the Ripmongers were soon at the front entrance. Half the entrants were being checked by the on-call security, and some were even asked to remove items of clothing.

"They're looking for us, I know it," said Nemo, whispering urgently to their group.

"That's why I'm here, of course!" Jodie said, sticking her nose in the air. "I'm here to escort you in. Like, I wasn't joking when I said you'd need me!"

She walked straight up to a security guard and flashed them what looked like a MINDERS associate card. They were all permitted entry without being checked, and Nemo blew a sigh of relief.

Awaiting her was the sight of the County Dome in its most familiar form: crammed full of people. Ferdi was hardly the only one using body art to convey his support; half the audience, Nemo noticed, were sporting either neon blue or red colours along with tattoos and masks.

The only difference from previous years, she thought, was that more people from other cities had seemingly joined the ongoing fray between Redberg and Bluefort, with even Gaians that she recognised dressed in red or blue depending on which city they preferred.

"Look at that guy!" squealed Ashley, pointing to a man who'd had his full body coated in blue body-paint and was wearing entirely blue clothing. "Three guesses which city he's routing for, eh?"

"Redberg," said Maxie, sarcastically.

"That's sad." Nemo said.

Maxie, Jodie and Jordan went to find Dana together. Ashley and Nemo decided to wander around the premise alone. Ashley occasionally pointed out people they knew and Nemo would feign enthusiasm at her friend's gestures.

"Hey, there's Leon with the Gaian beyblading team!" She said, pointing. "Looks like Leon's the team leader now. Wow – it also looks like Josh has been demoted to sub, haha! He doesn't seem too happy about it…"

"Oh," said Nemo, yawning.

"My word – Chantelle!" gasped Ashley, walking over to one end of a row of seats. A tanned pre-teen girl with braided dark hair stared back up at her as she whipped the wig and glasses off for an instant.

"Ashley!" Chantelle beamed. "Where were you? The last time I saw you was after I battled that TERRIFYING scorpion bit! I had to have SO many invisible stitches after that! Just kidding, of course. I haven't seen you in Clow at all though, and I'm there every day! Well, of course I am. Duh. I live there…"

"We had to leave because of – erm, reasons," Ashley said, beckoning between herself and Nemo. "This is Nemo, by the way. We've gone for a more bookworm appearance."

"Hey, Nemo!" Chantelle twinkled at her.

Nemo hissed and walked up to them. Her hateful look made Chantelle's grin subside.

"Excuse us for a moment, won't you?" she said pleasantly, before dragging Ashley downstairs into one of the tents off the site. They flashed their badges and were granted access.

"Nemo, that was rude – "

"I don't care. What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you mean?"

Nemo growled, softly. Ashley backed away, looking genuinely confused.

"We were really careful picking these disguises, and you're putting them to waste fraternising with almost-strangers."

"Oh come on, Nemo," said Ashley, rolling her eyes. "Chantelle, a top-ranking MINDERS recruit? _Chantelle_?"

"Jodie, a MINDERS associate? _Jodie_?" Nemo imitated her voice and pitch.

"That's different – she told me in private she didn't know what she was getting into – besides, she's the reason we got in!"

"She's the reason we wouldn't've otherwise," said Nemo, stubbornly. "She was correcting the problem she'd made herself. If she, Cinthia and Dana hadn't gone and told MINDERS we'd be here, those security guards wouldn't be checking everyone entering the dome. And remember how they found out we planned to compete at this event in the first place?"

Ashley was lost for words. Nemo turned her back on her.

"Because you told them so."

"Nemo…"

"Anyone else you wanted to foil our disguises in front of? Or was it just Chantelle?"

Ashley closed her eyes. "If I'm being honest, Corina. She knows we're here somewhere, anyway. I just wanted to see her after all these weeks, see how she's doing, tell her you're keeping the bargain."

"I won't if you keep doing this," said Nemo, making her fall quiet.

She rejected a passing waiter's refreshments, still with her back to Ashley.

"It's easy for you," said Nemo, her voice completely numb. "You can run along home once this is over and get back into your social circle and your book club and your coffee meetings. I have to rebuild a life after this because I refuse to go back to my miserable one in Gaia. You're not making this easier for me. You've been nothing but a burden ever since we agreed to go together. Just like Maxie and Jordan."

She walked ahead and disappeared beyond the tent. Ashley slumped into a chair and cradled her head in her hands.

She heard the marching band and the roar of the audience before the commentator's voice came over the intercom. The annual inter-school sports event had begun.

"You nervous, Vitale?"

His older brother was leaning against the inner wall of the dome with his back to him, enjoying the ground floor view of the opening ceremony.

Vance gave a small cough. "I said, you nervous, Vitale? 'Cause you're not alone."

"Yes, I am. That's why beyblading's an individual sport."

"I know you can win this. You've gotta', man."

Vance felt his fists tighten by his sides. "Those Redbergian bladers are the real deal, I admit it, but you can take 'em. It's more than just a game now. Bluefort's name is built upon the fact we're always on top, our property values are higher, our schools get better reports, if you let victory slip through your fingers in favour of Redberg, it'll begin the snowball effect of us losing everything – "

"It's not that I fail to get your point," interrupted Vitale, harshly. "I simply refuse to."

He turned and studied Vance through dark, handsome eyes.

"We're built upon more than winning… or did you need reminding?"

"No, brother…"

Vance closed his eyes shut against his brother's expression. It was the same he'd given him at their battle on the perimeter wall of the dome, and oh, how he recalled that battle as if it were yesterday…

"You're a disgrace!" Vance had yelled, "our architecture! Our funding! Our work! The dome is Bluefort's, but still you ask us to be considerate to Redberg?"

"Not to Redberg. To yourself," Vitale had said, coolly, a little way ahead of him. His orange bey and Vance's black one met along the narrow strip of concrete which their owners were also suspended on.

"How long are you going to keep doing this with your pathetic friends, Vance?" Vitale said, towering over his brother even from this distance. "… Because elitism is the spawn of insecurity and ignorance, and none of those things founded this landmark, either."

Vitale's eyes flickered, and Vance felt a chill rush through his spine. For a moment, he was locking stares with what appeared to be a giant, serpentine monster, but then his bey had fallen over the edge of the stadium and he had become unbalanced. He regained focus, the picture of the monster still in the forefront of his mind, but now, imminent death would join it if he fell –

There were screams from below him. His foot gave way, and his whole body went with it as he involuntarily reversed off the wall.

Vitale raised his hand, rushing forward. Vance felt a presence beneath him stopping his fall, allowing him enough time to take his brother's outstretched hand and regain balance on the wall. He collapsed to his knees at his brother's feet, shaking, his face blanket white…

"I'm going to check on Cinthia Perone… wish her luck…" Vance muttered, as the memory left him.

"Don't try and stop her competing. Don't do anything to interrupt our long-awaited battle."

"I'm not."

Vitale watched his younger brother meet Ferdi at the end of the dark corridor. They talked for a while and left him to enjoy the spectre unfolding in front of him.

Every two-team sport was played between the two finalist schools that had already been decided in preliminary rounds leading up to the day, as Dana explained in Jordan's ear. Other sports, like cycling, featured a higher number of contenders, racing around the field trying to score the fastest lap time.

The audience whooped and stamped their feet every time the playing field would mechanically slide away via shutters to reveal a new layer of ground appropriate to the next game that was being hosted. For the swimming teams, an entire pool was unveiled as the football arena gave way to the layer of ground beneath it.

Bluefort was competing in almost every game, and indeed bought back more than half as many victories; more than the cumulative wins of the other schools. Those dressed in blue and wearing blue face-paint became increasingly boisterous and loud whenever Bluefort secured a win, and conversely, those in red would look more forlorn.

Finally, the would-be last game of the day, the tennis, wrapped up with Bluefort accepting a win over Clow. The commentator took to the podium as the court disappeared and became a field.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what an extraordinary event this has been! A thorough congratulations to all schools whom participated, with, of course, special congratulations to Bluefort whom have conclusively scored the most wins of any schools for the thirteenth year running."

He spoke louder to ensure he was heard over the cheers and stamping, "I hope it has been an equally entertaining viewing for you as it has been for all the dome co-ordinators, although with extra condolences to those parents who only came to watch their child play and had to put up with many hours of baking hot Sun and other schools competing before that happened."

The audience tittered. The commentator spoke again, "… of course, all that is what I would be saying if indeed, this was the last game of the day! I am pleased to announce that we have a Circum Pars exclusive this year; for this is the first time the newly enacted sport of beyblading will be hosted as one of the games. Let's meet our teams!"

Thirty teams from each of the competing schools were marched onto the field in groups. They were introduced in turn as they passed by the commentator's booth, and then their respective school's cheerleaders would break into chanting.

"… From the Bluefort High team, we have team leader Vitale Viperi, Noah Jersey, and Kit Oswald!"

"How does it feel to be a Bluefort blader? That's how it feels to be way up high! How does it feel to be a Redberg hooligan? We don't know, we don't stoop that low!" cried the cheerleaders, shaking their pom-poms.

Maxie blew steam from her nose as the self-righteous punks in front of them waved and mimed kisses to the audience.

"… From the Redberg High team, we have team leader Cinthia Perone, Dana Brooke, and Jodie Halliday!"

The audience's clapping fluctuated as only two girls passed before the podium. Some Gaians, those that knew the real Cinthia, Dana or Jodie, broke into whispering with neighbouring seats.

"No doubt about Redberg, they've got what it takes! Not second best like Bluefort, but always first place!" said their cheerleaders.

Maxie exaggerated fist-pumping for the crowd and Jordan clutched her shoulder. "Where's Nemo? She should be out here!" she whispered.

"Oh, Jord, don't worry so much! Fishy's probably away enjoying a curry with the swimming hunks or something."

The teams completed their lap and they were assembled on benches on the outskirts of the field, where the coaches joined them. Toby looked pale and shaken as he approached the two lone Ripmongers. The field unfolded into a swimming pool, and the commentator resumed the podium.

"For our first round, one blader from each team will be tried on their balance. They must skim their bey across this water; the blader with the fastest time to do so will be declared the winner of this round. Players from each team, come forward."

Jordan stood up on cue and joined the other players. She removed her Bubblez bey and launcher, and took her place facing the swimming pool.

"Bladers launch in three – two – one…!"

"Let it rip!" came the cries of thirty blading enthusiasts, as a multi-coloured stream of spinning tops fell to the water.

Jordan skimmed her bey the way she'd been taught, and Bubblez got to a good head-start. She heard soft guitar plucking nearby, and knew Bakito must be competing. Smiling to herself, she assured herself that she knew at least one other contender here she could beat.

"It's Beyblade meets walking on the beach!" bellowed the commentator as the beys raced for the opposite end of the pool. Most of them began to capsize until there were only a few remaining, including Jordan's Bubblez, which had taken the lead.

"Come on, Jordan!" screamed Maxie. "If you win, it means Tyler will ask you out!"

Bubblez accelerated ahead, inches from the finishing line –

"No!"

Jordan wailed and collapsed to her knees. A mere second from the other side of the pool, her bey had sprung into the air and flopped like a fish, allowing the only other standing bey, Kit Oswald's, to take the victory. It swerved and landed on the other side of the pool, and Kit bowed enthusiastically to the storm of applause.

"And our first winner becomes Kit Oswald from Bluefort High!" roared the commentator. "Jodie Halliday from Redberg becomes our runner-up. Players, collect your beys and return to the side-lines for the next round to unfold."

The real Jodie hurtled across the plinth towards Dana, who was conveniently sat a little way from her.

"Did you see that?!" she shouted in Dana's ear over the din of the crowd, "like, Jordan's bey just capsized for no reason at all when it was about to win! Give me those binoculars!"

A bewildered Dana passed Jodie the binoculars, who pointed them in the direction of Kit and the rest of his Bluefort cronies. She saw him high-five Ferdi, and knew instantly what had happened.

"Those cheating little rats! That Ferdi dude!" roared Jodie, rolling up her sleeves. "He must've rigged Jordan's bey this morning in the queue when he was holding it! I'll, like, see to this!"

She marched off as quickly as she'd come. She joined the gang of frilly Bluefort cheerleaders and blended in easily with the rest of their vacant expressions. Maxie took to the playing field, now in the form of the race tracks used for the cyclists.

"This next round is designed to test speed alone. Each blader will complete a lap of the field; the first to do so and return to its respective blader being the winner. Players, when you're ready – three, two, one – "

Maxie tugged on her rip cord and roared like a lion as her bey burst from the launcher with her determination to claim the victory she deserved. She watched Leonine swoop around the field with an odd thirty others, quickly overtaking the other competition in her plight to win.

"C'MON, LEONINE, WOOHOO!" she jeered loudly, putting her fellow contestants off.

Leonine had soon become smoking hot with all the speed it was gaining. It grinded against the ground as it took the lead, but then another, darker red bey moved in front of it.

Maxie whipped around and spotted Noah, flaunting his muscles for the crowd teasingly.

"Hey! Stop showing off, we're in the middle of a damn race!" She hollered, but he paid no notice.

Maxie was forced to watch as Leonine sunk to second place, with Noah's bey in close proximity of the finishing line…

Jodie caught sight of this and bounded up and down, shaking her pom-poms and squealing, "Noah Jersey, you're so great, probably why you've never have a date! Blades like someone from their mum's basement, on the team because there's no suitable replacement!"

Noah stumbled with a gasp and his bey lost speed. Leonine overtook it and shot into Maxie's open palm as it completed the lap. Maxie threw her fists into the air as the audience clapped their approval of this unexpected change of events.

"Our second winner becomes Dana Brooke from Redberg!" said the commentator, "Noah Jersey from Bluefort now becomes our runner-up, tying the two schools with one first- and second- place each. An extensive inter-city rivalry is fiercely maintained as the players revert to their benches for the third and final round to decide our outright winner!"

Maxie turned to the bench and Jordan rushed to hug her. Toby's applause for her had quickly ceased; he was pacing up and down before their empty bench, his thoughts the same as theirs.

"Where's Nemo?"

"Dunno'," said Maxie, suddenly concerned.

"If Nemo doesn't come, we'll have to forfeit," pointed out Jordan, looking tearful.

"Our third and final round will be resumed in ten minutes," said the commentator. "… That is, once the premise is set up appropriately. Bladers, if you want to have a last-minute meltdown, now's your only chance!"

Toby, Maxie and Jordan re-entered the dark interior of the dome. The real Dana and Jodie were there; Dana rushed up to Maxie and hugged her.

"That was brilliant!" she squealed.

"Yeah, like, it's sure a lucky thing Noah got distracted at the last moment!" Jodie said, loudly and sarcastically.

"Let's go find Nemo before it's too late." Toby suggested.

Devin Maiden, the MINDERS executive, was perched in the VIP booth in deep conversation with her colleagues. "… Seems mightily circumstantial that contenders from Redberg's team should share names with three MINDERS associates I commissioned a few weeks ago. You will all look into this immediately, won't you? If those missing schoolgirls have anything to do with this…"

She shook her head and let out a melodic little laugh. "Of course, I did not wish to let those rascals to tarnish today's event, but a pitch invasion may be necessary, and this is the most opportune time to apprehend them, with our increased security forces. If they are caught, they will not only receive an indefinite ban from competing, they will not be allowed to spectate at this event again."


	21. Chapter 21 - From the Jaws of Defeat

**Chapter 21 – From the Jaws of Defeat**

Meanwhile, Nemo had been practicing with Dromeda, recalling the incident with Ashley, when she was ambushed by two beys. She was so used to it, she did not even have to look up to know whom had joined her.

"You guys again?" she said to the looming shadows over the hill that overlooked the dirt path she was practicing on. "If this is to do with Bluefort and Redberg again, you do realise all you're doing is continuing a really boring vendetta nobody outside the county cares about, right? Besides, Redberg have pulled you guys out of recession like, twice, so you owe them – "

"This has nothing to do with Bluefort, Redberg, the games, or my brother, Vitale, the opponent you were meant to face today," said Vance. "This is about honour, which Bluefortians prioritise above all else, after all."

"What, by destroying my bey?" retorted Nemo, rolling her eyes.

"No," said Vance, and his voice dripped with malice. "We don't want your bey. We want the thing that's inside your bey. Your bit. I know a fellow familiar when I see one."

"We promised Ferdi your bit if he agreed to assist us," said his fellow crony, sneering with his launcher at hand.

"So, surrender your bit or have it forced from your possess – what the…?"

Nemo's eyes had turned dark and her bey had stricken both Vance's and the other crony's beys, sending them flying hopelessly through the air.

"Nobody," she whispered, her face contorted with spite, "threatens to take Andromeda from me."

The Ripmongers, plus Jodie, Dana and Toby, waited anxiously inside one of the tents. Cinthia was pacing up and down, getting more stressed the longer her double was taking to appear.

"If Nemo don't show up," she said, "ya'll better give me your blades and I'll spin in the next round! If launching a beyblade's anything like blending a cocktail, I'll take this."

"Cinthia, you've never pulled a rip cord in your life." Dana said, slowly.

"My claim to celebrity is on the line!" Cinthia said, indignantly.

"Look!" squealed Jordan, pointing dramatically to the entrance of the tent. There stood Nemo, dragging two feebly stirring Bluefort gangsters along the ground.

"Sorry I'm late, I got held up by unwelcome well-wishers," muttered Nemo, allowing Vance and his teammate to slump on the ground. "Clean up on aisle three!"

The on-call medics rushed to attend to them as Nemo joined her relieved team. Toby clapped her shoulder whilst Jodie and Jordan flaunted invisible pom-poms. Cinthia peered over the barely conscious Bluefortians, looking vaguely impressed.

"Wow, Nemo, they didn't tell me ya'll liked it rough." She said, nodding her approval.

"Nemo, you've got to tell the event co-ordinators about this! Bluefort could get disqualified for this!" Dana squealed excitedly, but Nemo brushed her aside.

"Forget it, I want a fair, clean game with Vitale to settle a few things, and nothing's gonna' stop me," said Nemo.

Toby, Jordan and Maxie left to resume their team bench and Dana, Jodie and Cinthia returned to the aisles. Nemo was left alone in the tent with Ashley, who stood facing her, awkwardly.

"Well?" snapped Nemo. "You look like you have something to say."

Ashley shook her head. It looked like she'd just undergone a severe epiphany. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for earlier. You may say I'm your smartest friend, Nemo, but in reality we both know that your instinct is the most reliable tool we have on this team."

"Anything else?"

"… And I promise never to get in your way again."

"Good," said Nemo, who leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Because we need to get the hell outta' here, Ash. Go pack our things and we'll go the minute this game's over."

"Wha – ? Why?"

"They know," muttered Nemo, tilting her head in Vance's direction. "They know about my Andromeda bit, I was forced to use it against them when they ambushed me. When they come to, they'll tell the event co-ordinators everything and MINDERS are gonna' find out one way or another."

She continued before Ashley could interrupt, "also, I had to deal with a security guard getting in. I told him my fake name and showed him my badge but he'd had strict orders to interrogate anyone who claimed to be 'Cinthia Perone'. I had to use my bit-beast again to get past him. They know, Ash, so we've gotta' be one step ahead. Here's the room key. Go pack our stuff."

"But Nemo – we can't just – "

"Ash, you're getting in the way again," Nemo said, nudging her shoulder jokingly.

Ashley gave a small grimace and replied, "you're right. I'll ask Jahane to help me carry the rucksacks out and I'll get Jodie to wait outside the entrance for me to help me past security when I get back."

Nemo nodded and made to move past her, but Ashley caught her shoulder.

"Ash – "

"I wanted to wish you luck, but I know that inherently you don't need it," she breathed, "just do you, Nemo. Nobody else. Just do you and win this thing. Don't think about Redberg, Toby, Corina or me. Just fulfil whatever your own ambitions are."

They parted ways and Nemo joined her team bench just as the commentator resumed the microphone.

"In case you missed the last announcement, here's a reminder of our newly integrated third round-rules," he said, "the event co-ordinators have decided that only the eight best performing teams from the previous rounds will be eligible to compete this round. Those are…"

He fumbled with a list and read out the school names with rampant cheers accompanying each one. Included were Redberg, Bluefort, Gaia, Clow, a school from a place called Riddlestone that Nemo had heard of before, and three other schools that she only scarcely knew existed.

"… So, without further ado. The third and final round is designed to test the player's strength. Each blader will be allocated to a statue presented in this field. They must launch their beys directly at the statue and try to drill the furthest distance through it without their bey stopping. Bladers, take your positions."

Nemo was thumped on the back as she arose from the bench, feeling the full broth of over fifty thousand pairs of eyes and numerous TV cameras on her. She stood facing the nearest, frighteningly life-like statue, which, like the others, was shaped like a dragon, with its mouth open wide and its stone fangs borne.

"On the count of three – three, two, one – "

Nemo grappled her rip cord as she launched Dromeda. It flew straight into the dragon statue's mouth along with seven others beside hers. Sparks flew from all directions as the beys each met their target and started tearing hard into the rock. Some beys were deflected from the statue almost immediately, whilst others, like Nemo's, remained in place, churning the stone relentlessly.

The audience watched in awe as the remaining beys drove holes through the fake dragons' guts. The only thing that foretold them from above that each bey was still spinning were the amount of sparks that emerged from the gaping hole they'd created.

Nemo looked sideways and saw Vitale and Leon blading on either side of her. A few minutes later, they were the only bladers still in the competition.

"C'mon, Dromeda," muttered Nemo, watching her purple bey dig further into the dragon's interior. She heard a groan beside her as Leon collapsed to his knees, his bey running out of spin.

"What a game! Our two remaining contestants are also from the best performing teams in the previous rounds," shouted the commentator, "Vitale Viperi, from Bluefort High, and Cinthia Perone, from Redberg High! Whoever wins this round claims certain victory for their team!"

Nemo felt herself begin to hobble, and knew that her bit, Andromeda, must nearly be out of power and was relying on her to keep it going. She closed her eyes and tried to channel all her remaining strength into her bey.

"Incredible," whispered Toby, and Maxie and Jordan's awestruck faces mirrored his. Soon, the entire audience was on their feet, peering over the stands to see if either bey had finally stopped.

Nemo heard the shredding noise stop and opened her eyes, fearing the worst, but saw Dromeda safely landed on a platform through a clean hole in the dragon. She turned to Vitale's bey, and saw that he, too, had driven his bey right through the statue.

"Unbelievable!" roared the commentator over heightened applause. "We have a tie! Both contestants have, to use the word appropriately, maimed their dragons. Both teams now have a win, a second place and a draw to their name."

"T-Serpent, attack!" shouted Vitale from beside her. Nemo's eyes widened as his orange bey slammed into hers without warning, sending it flying through the air.

"Dromeda, rebound!" Nemo retaliated, and her purple bey slammed into the stands and shot back at his. The commentator charged forwards and caught it in time.

"Hold on, I didn't say it was time to battle!" he scolded them both. "Our management is still deciding how to crown our rightful winner."

He tapped his earpiece and beckoned them to return to their benches. They took their beys and obeyed. Ashley and Jahane were there with the others, carrying a pair of bags each clumsily packed full of things.

Toby inclined his head as she approached. "That was the most incredible beyblading I've ever – "

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Nemo waved him down, rounding on Maxie and Jordan. "I hope you're ready to go as soon as this game's finished."

"What?!" Maxie hollered, rising to her feet. "But I thought you were disbanding the team after this!"

"I am," said Nemo, bluntly, "you can either choose to hand yourself over to MINDERS, here, or you can go home in your own time of your own accord. Your choice."

"Does this mean we have to put up with Fishy lips for another night?" Maxie whined to Ashley, folding her arms and glaring at Nemo.

"Don't call me Fishy lips, and I didn't particularly want this, either!" she retorted.

"Hey, guys, not interrupting a last-minute pep talk, am I?" came a cool voice behind them.

Nemo spun round and found herself face-to-face with the much taller Vitale Viperi. She instantly recognised why so many people were drawn to him; dark and handsome, with combed back dark hair and a fine jawline. He was the kind of person with a natural flair for smooth-talking his way through situations, but it wouldn't help him get any of their team secrets, Nemo told herself.

"No."

"I just wanted to apologise for my comrades' behaviour towards you this past week, and I wanted you to know that I intend to win fairly and honourably, unlike them." Vitale said, flashing them a smile.

"Sorry, dude, but save the reconciliations for after the game. Based on what your team have done, you could easily be here trying to delve into our strategy, and I won't let you," replied Nemo.

Vitale's smile faded. He scratched the back of his head and looked momentarily taken aback. "Well, you've got intuition – I like that. It's going to be an exciting decider. I wasn't trying to pry anything from you, of course, but alright. May the best man – or lady – win."

"Sure," said Nemo, watching him walk away. Her fellow Ripmongers were guffawing around her, but she barely noticed; her eye was on a band of security personnel on the other side of the field, pointing seemingly in their direction.

A group of men were wheeling a giant structure onto the field that was coveted by a large, white blanket. Once they'd pulled it to the middle of the arena, they whipped the blanket off to reveal a large tower with adjacent platforms for each blader. The crowd 'ooed' and 'aahed' at the sight of it.

"Players, take your positions in our specially built tower stadium," said the commentator, and Nemo and Vitale assumed each platform to face opposite each other. Toby grated on his fingernails with his teeth as the deciding round got underway.

"The event co-ordinators have agreed as planned that in the unlikely event of a tie, this stadium would be unveiled and an ordinary beybattle be hosted. The objective of this game is to have the last bey spinning on the tower. The first bey to stop spinning, or leave the tower, is indeed counted the loser. Players, on three – "

Nemo felt her palms shudder as she raised her launcher. Vitale did likewise opposite her, looking far more content. The sight of his expression flooded her with strength, making her desire victory even more.

"… Two… one… let it rip!"

The crowd screamed as Nemo's Dromeda and Vitale's T-Serpent flew onto the paths that scaled either side of the tower in an entwining circle. They raced to the top, and eventually the paths overlapped, allowing the two beys to slam into each other and deal sparks as they raced towards their goal.

The Ripmongers, Jahane and Toby cheered behind her. Jodie juggled her pom-poms from the stands, Dana shouted encouragement, and Cinthia's thumb was a blur on her mobile phone as she updated her status on social media sites to say how nerve-wracked she was.

"I've waited a long time for this," said Vitale, quietly. Their eyes met.

"So have I."

Dromeda and T-Serpent slammed into each other left, right, and centre. Occasionally, one bey would near the edge of the path and the audience would collectively inhale, but every time, it veered safely back into the crossfire.

"Dromeda, Vanishing attack!" cried Nemo. Her purple bey put on an extra burst of speed and disappeared, re-appearing on the slope above Vitale's bey.

Vitale folded his arms and suddenly, his orange bey slammed into the tower and shredded it as it gained height. It smashed into the underside of the path above it and was propelled upward, landing safely in front of Dromeda.

Nemo clenched her teeth and made Dromeda pull further in. It accelerated and then slammed into the side of the tower, rebounding towards T-Serpent, which narrowly evaded. Both beys were once again break-even; this was no race, but either blader knew that reaching the top first gave them an advantage.

The two beys hurtled out onto the ceiling of the tower level with the opponents' torsos and met in the centre, swiping each other furiously. Nemo and Vitale stood their ground, watching their beys at work.

"Serpens, Venom Mist!" cried Vitale, and his bey retreated and circled the perimeter of the arena, gaining momentum. A teal coloured mist started to secrete from his bey and flood the centre of the arena in a bubble.

"Nemo, that mist is harmful to your bey!" shouted Maxie from behind her.

"I know that, idiot!" she shouted back. She could hardly fail to recognise the signs; Dromeda was wobbling, and patches of the attack ring were actually becoming discoloured the longer they were exposed to the mist.

"Alright, Andromeda, use Vixen Storm!" cried Nemo, and her bey regained balance and started spinning at an alarming rate. A funnel of air broke free from the tip, destroying the bubble of mist created by T-Serpens. Both beys were temporarily obscured and the audience broke into a panic, some of those nearest the stands leaving their seats to avoid the tornado that had materialised before them.

Nemo watched as the funnel disintegrated. T-Serpens hung from the air above it, propelled by the storm, and now descending for an attack –

"Serpens!"

"Andromeda!"

Dromeda shot into the air to meet its opponent, and there was an explosion of sparks as the beys collided. Vitale smirked, drawing deep breaths as Nemo did likewise.

"You're good, fellow familiar," he muttered. "The best I've faced."

"Thanks, so are you," Nemo said, truthfully.

"If I ever thought that you weren't a familiar, I wouldn't have resorted to my bit, but I knew so and that's why I was eager to battle you."

"Andromeda is the guiding light of my life," Nemo whispered, hoarsely.

"You know, beyblading was only enacted as an inter-school sports game this year, and you have me to thank for that," began Vitale, closing his eyes. "The event co-ordinators had initially considered it, but then a controversy in the city of Gaia made them change their minds. Apparently, some schoolgirls had used beys as weapons to force their way out of the city."

Nemo looked up, and observed him closely through the rain of sparks.

"I was the changing force that made them reconsider beyblading to be an inter-school sport. My battle on the dome wall with my little brother was what did it. I impressed the locals to the point where they were forced to accept the phenomenal talent that existed in the field was too good to deny, and that's how beyblading became re-enacted as a sport," he said, "I am the reason we're stood here today, because of a battle I won with a move that looked like this."

Nemo felt a chill run down her spine as Vitale opened his eyes. She could feel and almost see the giant serpent bit that occupied his bey, and then suddenly, T-Serpens had overpowered Dromeda and it flew over the edge of the tower in a volley of sparks.

"Nemo! Nemo!" screamed her comrades, but she was smirking. Finally, the missing piece of the jigsaw she had waited for – the mystery was solved.

"Hate to break it to you," she said, watching her falling bey. "But I was the person who initially made the event co-ordinators consider beyblading to be a real sport in the first place. I'm the girl who ran away from Gaia," she continued, "and I'm the reason we're really stood here today, because of a battle I won with a move that looked more like this. Andromeda, Vanishing attack!"

Dromeda put on another speed burst and vanished mid-fall.

"Up there!" wailed Jordan, pointing almost vertically over their heads. The entire audience looked up, their movements syncopated together; a purple dot was descending from the sky above them, reaching terminal velocity as it came down, and of course it was Jordan who'd seen it first, because her head was always in the clouds and that's how far up it had gone.

"That can't be," said Vitale, dropping to his knees weakly as he looked up.

The more elegant, serpentine figure of the Andromeda bit seemed to be emitting from Nemo's bey as it descended. It struck the top of the tower full-force, and there was a colossal plume of smoke turned red by the sunset.

The tower crumbled and burst into pieces. T-Serpens fell with the rest of the wreckage. Nemo's wig and glasses were blown off her face, exposing her for her true self. The Dromeda bey landed safely on the remaining piece of structure, surrounded by rubble and barely spinning.

There was a moment of silence, and then a very diverse reaction erupted amongst the audience. There were cheers and stamping, and there was also anger amongst the many Bluefort supporters at the sight of Nemo, but they were eventually ceased by the strength of the applause.

"She's done it!" cried Dana, tears streaming down her face.

"I got a snap of that last explosion on my phone! Am TOTES making it my Myspace profile picture!" squealed Cinthia, mobile at hand.

Toby was sobbing on the team bench, waving a flag embroidered with Redberg's coat of arms. Jahane was consoling him as Maxie, Jordan and Ashley victory danced nearby, the bags deserted on the ground.

"Pick those up," Nemo ordered them, and ran over to the podium where the commentator was stood.

"… And there you have it, folks! Cinthia Perone takes Redberg's first victory for – er, let's just say many years, and indeed, in a series of moves that the laws of Physics had originally deemed impossible, takes the victory for the first ever hosted inter-school Beyblade 2006 – "

" – Of, I'm sure, many!" Nemo said as she took to the podium, pushing the commentator aside. "I'd like to thank my team, what was it? Oh, yeah, the 'Rebellion Ripmongers'. I personally never liked the name, but I was outvoted on that. Oh well!"

"I'd also like to thank my coach, Toby, our team's moral supporter, Shelby – er, I mean, Ashley, my external moral supporter Jahane, and above all, my bit-beast, Andromeda, who I owe everything to. Unfortunately, I will not be able to sail with Captain Rockhopper on the Migrator, which was the winning team's prize," continued Nemo, "but, eh, I'd like to give that enviable reward to the next placed team that isn't Bluefort. The reason being that I'm currently wanted across Circum Pars, which is why I bladed under a disguise – but still a legit entrée, so go check the rulebook if you're a sceptic."

"I'm glad I've finally been able to prove to myself that I was the initial reason beyblading was selected to be an inter-school sport," she said, "this is the game that preoccupied me when times were hard. I'm pleased to have created this legacy, which I hope lives on, and if I'm taking one thing with me from my origin of Gaia into whatever journey awaits me next, it better damn well be that legacy."

She pushed the microphone back into the commentator's chest and ran. She stole a glimpse into the crowd where she knew Corina was sat, somewhere; if that hadn't met her side of the bargain, she thought to herself, she didn't know what would.

"Nemo!" screamed Ashley, hurtling up the field with Maxie and Jordan, bags at hand. There were guards situated at every side of the dome, closing in on them.

"What are we gonna' do now?!" asked Maxie, frantically.

Nemo gritted her teeth; they were trapped. She rushed over to collect her bey and think of a plan, when she noticed something.

Dromeda was no longer wobbling. It was spinning perfectly in balance again, and a silver, pearly vapour was rising from it. As Nemo watched, the serpentine form of Andromeda uncoiled from the tip of her bey in its full form, the height of a two storey house, and far more corporeal than Nemo had ever seen a bit-beast. It had large, sorrowful eyes and a gown of silver hair that was draped around its long tail.

"Look at that!"

"Is that a bit-beast?"

"Yes, that's a bit-beast! I told you they were real, didn't I?" Chantelle smiled at her stunned-looking friends, Paula and Rachel. "Wow… that bit-beast is so opaque… I guess Jackie's not the best beyblader I know, after all."

"Vance!" yelled Ferdi, as he spotted his friend stumbling over towards their gang.

He took Ferdi by the collar and shook him violently. "Why didn't you tell us she was Andromeda's familiar, eh? The LEGENDARY Andromeda? Did it pass your notice?"

"I didn't know it was Andromeda – I just knew whatever it was was p-powerful!" spluttered Ferdi.

"Well, don't cheer for the opposition!" Vance snapped at Noah, who had broken into clapping and whooping at the sight of it.

The silver bit fixed its effeminate face on Nemo, who heard its voice in her head over the renewed cries of the audience. "I can get you out of here! You must escape, quickly!"

"Right," muttered Nemo, turning to Ashley and the others. "Get the bags and mount Andromeda!"

They were taken aback by the sight of it, but quickly recovered and jumped onto its long, silver tail. Nemo picked up her bey and joined them, clambering in front as if to take the reins. Andromeda arched its tail, ready for lift-off.

All around them, the Bluefort cronies, MINDERS executives and security personnel were flooding out onto the field with the woman who Nemo didn't identify as Devin Maiden at the rear.

"No, no, girls!" she simpered, "you can't go! You have your education and your accordance with the national statute of welfare and safety to think about! As a MINDERS top ranking executive, I insist you escort me back to your parents immediately!"

"Do you?" Nemo shouted scornfully down at her, "your stupid corporation trapped us in a basement and nearly drowned us all!"

Andromeda sprung upward, into the air, and a gush of wind reverberated from around its body, driving the pursuers back. There were ripping noises from below them as dozens of beys were launched from rivalling schools, but none of them could reach the height that Andromeda had quickly gained, let alone what Nemo had accomplished earlier with her bey.

Vitale struggled to his feet in the thickset of the people who'd flooded the pitch. For once, he was no longer the centre of attention; all eyes were on Nemo, now.

Leon watched the serpentine creature rise over the heads of the crowd from the sheltered dome interior. "I've longed for a battle with you for so long, Nemo, and again it goes unfulfilled," he said, solemnly, "but at least now I know I would've not stood a chance against you anyway."

"Bye guys!" shouted Jodie from the otherwise abandoned wing that belonged to the cheerleaders, "and Jordan, don't, like, prep out in the villages beyond the county, you now know how untrustworthy outsiders are! Wait until you get back to Gaia for that!"

"Thank you for everything," waved Toby, weakly, held up by a beaming Jahane.

As for Corina, she watched them alone in her seat, disengaged from the chaos around her and even from the fact that her parents had joined the pursuit. Her eyes were fixed solely on the beautiful bit-beast that now frolicked in the great, orange sky that spanned the horizon, and she finally understood the reason for their departure that she'd so longed to know prior to Nemo's impromptu victory speech.

"You remembered the deal after all," she said to herself, "thanks, guys. Thanks, Nemo."


	22. Character Reference

Each character mentioned in the story is based loosely on a real person with a similar name/username. Most of these people were friends and non-friends on the virtual world "Club Penguin" back in 2006-2007, when this story was first begun but not continued and finished until this year. This is a guide indicating which characters are based on which user from Club Penguin:

Nemo – Inunemo

Maxie – Mewmewmaxie

Corina – Kiakoclumsy

Jackie – Jackmoon

Chantelle – Lolliepop54

Shelby – Sweetnsour

Bakito – Bakito13

Jamzy – Jammerz

Toby – Toydy

Owyn – I Own You 10

Electra – Electric Pow

Scirocco – Scorpion21?

Stanley – Siwr

Toby – Toydy

Jahane – Jonahgrace

Noah – nje12

Vance – Vital Flame

Ferdi – 13ferdii

Kit – Kittoose

Vitale – Vital Viper

Devin – I Love Devyn

Headmaster Billiot – Billybob


End file.
